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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25939963">Come and Get Your Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/6Space_Witch9/pseuds/6Space_Witch9'>6Space_Witch9</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Baby Mama [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abuse of Authority, Altered Biology, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Body Horror, Chancellor Amidala, Crack Treated Seriously, Dathomir Culture, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Sexual Content, Feral deserved more than one episode so he lives now, Feral needs a hug, Fetishization, Fives is a himbo, I thought of this pairing at like 3 in the morning, Jango is a cool clone dad, Kid Fic, Kidnapping, Multi, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Organized Crime, Poor Life Choices, Power Imbalance, Rare Pairings, Slavery, Sort Of, Unethical Experimentation, Unplanned Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Zabrak Culture, clone rights and integration into civilian life, no ragrets, welcome to rare pair hell, ya'll let's be honest the Nightbrothers are slaves</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:14:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>50,507</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25939963</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/6Space_Witch9/pseuds/6Space_Witch9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>PART ONE:<br/>Sent away from Dathomir after being revived,  Feral floats through life trying to find his way in the galaxy as the threat of his Sith Lord brothers looms over him. </p><p>He quietly tries to make something of himself as he battles with the harsh reality that his brother murdered him, whether under his control or not his nightmares don't care as they remind him it was still Savage's hand around his neck.</p><p>His life of simplicity is ruined when he hooks up with a charismatic soldier.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>CC-2224 | Cody/Quinlan Vos, CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555 &amp; CT-7567 | Rex, CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555/Feral (Star Wars), Darth Maul &amp; Savage Opress, Feral &amp; Darth Maul, Feral &amp; Savage Opress, Jango Fett/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Padmé Amidala &amp; CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555, Padmé Amidala/CT-7567 | Rex/Anakin Skywalker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Baby Mama [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1882627</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>90</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>260</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Was it Worth it?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So few notes for this fic:</p><p>-The clones stop aging after they reach 20, so our main bucket of clone characters is 20-22.<br/>-There is a heavy theme of abuse of power when discussing the Nightbrothers and Sisters, including reproductive coercion, non-consensual body modification and other general abusive behavior against the Brothers.<br/>-This takes place about a month after the Citadel.<br/>-The Universe is slightly different where Padmé is Chancellor since Paptine has been arrested for gross miss use of funds and fraudulent activity so the war effort is winding down.<br/>-Jango is also alive in this universe</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Present Day: Feral</strong>
</p><p>Feral leans over the toilet in the ‘fresher as the waves of nausea crash over him and twist his body uncomfortably, he prays to whatever gods that will listen, to end his misery. His stomach growls which makes it cramp painfully as anything he eats doesn’t stay long enough to be digested making his body beg for food. He breaths through the pain but his head pounds like a club speaker and tears leak out of the corner of his eyes.</p><p>Being a Nightbrother and son of Mother Talzin he’s no stranger to pain, even when Savage had tried to keep him safe from the worst of it, he can still welcome pain into his body like an old friend. Feral knows that if Savage knew that he is so accustomed to pain he wouldn’t like it.</p><p>Savage…. He doesn’t want to think about his brother, it’s been months since his brother left Dathomir after snapping his neck and he hadn’t looked back for a moment. Whoever that man is now, it isn’t Savage, he isn’t his brother.</p><p>He’s heard whispers of a new Sith, a massive yellow and brown Zabrak who lays waste to anything he sees, cutting down helpless innocents in a heartbeat. As much as he wishes that it isn’t his brother they whisper about his mind and heart know the truth.</p><p>His brother may be lost to him forever.</p><p>Savage would never hurt him, he had given his life for Feral’s as the Nightsister dangled him on the knife’s edge of death. He likes to think that his brother is dead, it hurts less to think so. To remember his brother before the witch had ever road into their village, where they would talk about leaving the planet together.</p><p>Feral as an engineer and Savage as a great politician off to make the galaxy their own and live life how they wanted, lives that would be untainted by the control of the Nightsisters.</p><p>At least he has accomplished half of his dream. He’s off his home world and far enough away that he doesn’t constantly live in fear, fear of the Nightsisters finding him and dragging him back to the prison disguised as his home planet.</p><p>
  <strong>FOUR MONTHS AGO</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Feral chokes on air as it’s forced back into lungs and it feels like knives are being dragged down his throat and into his lungs. His body is cold and unresponsive even as his eyes dart around the ominous and cavernous room. When the Nightsisters first dragged him from his home and into the underground sanctuary he knew he wouldn’t be leaving.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He wants to cry, he wants to be left alone without the Sisters watching him with their cold dead eyes. His neck cracks and pops under his skin and it makes the pain a little more bearable but it does nothing to stop him from feeling the impression bruise of a hand around his neck.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Feral whimpers through gritted teeth, Savage is nowhere to be seen and neither is the Sith Nightsister and he’s glad for it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He wishes Mother Talzin had left him dead, he wants to die again.  The darkness of oblivion was nice for a moment until they roughly reeled him back to exist in the reality where his brother disowned him and killed him in the same sentence, even as he pleaded for his life, pleaded to be remembered.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Why had she brought him back? Why?!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He chokes on air and spits his blood onto the cold stone floor, he groans as several Sisters roughly pull him to his feet even as only the barest sensations have returned to his body. Flames lick along his nerves as blood refills his body and they hold him up where his toes barely brush the ground, he doesn’t have the strength to fight them or to try and reach the stone below.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He can’t even trick himself into thinking he has a sliver of control over the situation.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mother Talzin glides towards him and he tries to lean away from the witch that gave birth to him, but the Sisters tighten their hold and he trembles in their grip as they rip his ruined shirt open.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“My dear Feral, you must understand that it is your duty to sacrifice yourself to the whims of the Sisters, however your are still my son and while you will never have the strength or power that your brothers have your body is a miracle.” She intones as she leans in closer, her dual-toned voice echoes around the cavern, it makes his teeth ache.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Brothers? He has more than one?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Your body is young and fertile, it is time that I spread my influence in the galaxy and you no longer have a place here on Dathomir. Create many heirs for me my son, as it is your only purpose now, your ship will be ready soon. You will leave immediately.” Mother Talzin says as she drags a finger along his stomach just above the waistband of his pants and he does his best to cringe away.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The Sisters drag him away and out of the village  and he stumbles his way back to his home, he is mostly ignored by the other brothers when he reaches the outer gate and he’s glad for it, he wouldn’t be able to take their questions or searching gazes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He collapses in the house he shared with Savage, the memories and reminders of the man too much to bear. He falls to his knees and sobs into the thin animal skin rug that they had made as children that covers the floor.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His body aches and he feels used, he already misses his brother more than he can say. While he’s always dreamed of leaving the planet, he has no plan, no credits and no direction but he knows a sever punishment will come if he doesn’t leave the planet soon.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It is time to face the reality that he has been cast aside, his usefulness all but used up. No one on his planet would extend a helping hand, he is alone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>However, Now that he has a second chance to live, he doesn’t want it taken away even if he will be alone for the rest of his life. As he stands in the middle of his house with his meagre belongings, he’s tempted to burn down their house. He holds the lantern in the middle of the living room but he can’t make himself smash it on the ground and tears run down his face, his hand shakes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Feral places the lantern back on the hook by the door, he looks around one more time at the sad empty house with his little rucksack before closing the door behind him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It feels like the house itself wails in agony, begging for the return of time that will never happen again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The ship is easy to spot, it’s all dark colours and sharp angles, ugly as it is, it will withstand whatever space throws at him. He sighs as he looks back at his village, he can see the way the men look at him with a mixture of jealousy and longing. No Nightbrother enjoyed being a Nightbrother, even if is the only way of life they know, all of them crave to leave the oppressive planet in their own personal way.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>PRESENT DAY</strong>
</p><p>It’s <strong>not </strong>possible.</p><p>“Feral? You in here? We’re going to be late for work!” His roommate shouts as she barges into his bedroom.</p><p>“In here.” He groans as his body convulses and he gets ready to dry heave <em>again</em>, he wishes he had called in sick earlier in the day when he had felt ill.</p><p>He had thought a simple nap before his shift at the club would make him feel better only to wake up having to run to his connecting refresher to vomit aggressively.</p><p>“Woah man, who hit you with the plague and left?” Nel says and the Pantoran steps over him gingerly to press her inner wrist against his forehead.</p><p>He sighs pathetically as he enjoys the contact.</p><p>“You don’t have a fever, you did eat that nasty week-old thing in the fridge two nights ago, maybe it’s coming back for revenge?” She jokes lightly and he tries to smile at her but it only come out as a grimace.</p><p>“I don’t think I can make it to work, Fayte is gonna have my ass.” He groans miserably thinking of disappointing the well meaning but stern boss who ran the club they worked at.</p><p>Over the months that he wandered the galaxy looking for a purpose and a way to sustain himself he had docked at Corellia. Where within 20 minutes of walking the streets he had stumbled into Nel who at the time was in the middle of being mugged with a blaster pointed at her chest, so he foolishly jumped in to help and got a stab wound for his trouble.</p><p>While being a tall Zabrak is nothing special in his own village it was enough to scare the looters off, they limped back to Nel’s workplace where Fayte patched them up in the back room of the Pirate’s Bootleg. The gruff Keshiri apparently took one look at him and offered him a job as a bartender until he had his life figured out, he had blushed and murmured a soft thank you.</p><p>Him getting hired at the club automatically made him Nel’s new roommate as she had stated that her ex-girlfriend had cheated on her and subsequently left her for another woman and with an empty room that she desperately needed to fill.</p><p>The routine of work and civilian life was so different to his life back on Dathomir and it was hard to adjust too at first but Nel had made things easy. They ate together, worked together, relaxed together and Feral could rest easy knowing that Nel would never break his neck in cold blood.</p><p>As she barely reached his sternum, even when she piled her long teal hair on her head.</p><p>He hasn’t told her much about his past on Dathomir, he has an uneasy feeling she may learn more than she wants to know far too soon. Still, Feral isn’t going to jump headfirst in ruining one of the only close friendships he’s ever had.</p><p>The woman has even convinced him to come to school with her and study at Coruscant, she had set up with online school for him to get his requirements so he could apply with her when the time came.</p><p>She is good to him, almost too good, but it makes the nightmares that haunt him a little more manageable. She never asks questions during the dead of night when she sees him hunched over their tiny kitchen table, only silently offers her comfort. They have spent many hours watching movies and late night holo-dramas when his demons refused to let him sleep and she never complained once.</p><p>“Do you remember when I brought that guy home from the bar when we went out for Deena’s birthday?” Feral says weakly, still feeling feverish.</p><p>“Tall guy, goatee, tattoo, looked like could bench press you with one hand? Probably military?” Nel asks as her face scrunches in concentration.</p><p>“That’s the one, I remember he had called himself Fives. When did I bring him here?” Feral asks with a hint of worry in his voice.</p><p>“Yeah I remember, kind of a weird name but you brought him home about a month ago, I remember clearly since you two had the loudest sex I have ever heard in my life. It also went on for hours, Feral, I adore you but I never wanna hear you getting dicked-down like that again, also what is the relevance of him?” Nel asks as she drags him off the floor and onto his unmade bed, he can see her whip her holo-pager out and text something quickly before putting it away.</p><p>Has he really not gotten laid in a month? That’s depressing.</p><p>“We didn’t use protection.” Feral admits and he blushes darkly, she always made fun of him when his blush turned the pale yellow of his skin to a dark yellow when he gets embarrassed.</p><p>“I didn’t ask if you used your brain, sweet-pea I already know you turn into a real idiot when you see a hot guy.” Nel says with a laugh as she flops down on his bed next to him.</p><p>“I haven’t told you everything about me, I don’t want you to freak out.” He says miserably.</p><p>“Babe, what could you tell me that would surprise me now?” Nel says softly as she squirms to cuddle up next to him.</p><p>“On my planet….” He starts only for Nel to snort and roll her eyes.</p><p>“You mean that shithole your own mother banned you from?” She says snarkily.</p><p>“Yes, I am known as a Nightbrother, the Nightbrothers are a clan of Zabrak completely under the control of the Nightsisters. We follow their every whim… they did something to my brother, took him away and ruined him…They made him kill me as my mother watched.” He says nervously and winces as Nel shoots off the bed.</p><p>“They did what!” She screeches.</p><p>“That’s not all… Zabraks from Dathomir are altered from birth by the Nightsisters to be able to hold a pregnancy to term until the baby can be cut from our bodies. They only view us as breeding stock and they think pregnancy is a hinderance which is why the pregnancy is shifted to the male partner. My mother did something to my body when she revived me to make me more fertile so I can reproduce with anyone, not just other Zabraks.” Feral says feeling as blood rushed to his face again and he tries to burry himself in the sheets to try and hide from Nel’s shock.</p><p>“There’s a pregnancy test that I always keep on hand in my room, I’ll bring my ice cream too.” Nel says before he can protest and she runs out of the room, there are some muffled thuds and a colourful use of language before she returns with a pink and white box and a large tub of chocolate ice-cream.</p><p>“Go, no harm in just testing. It may just be the absolute garbage you eat coming back to haunt you but you’re only going to fuck yourself over if you don’t take the test.” She says gently.</p><p>He nods meekly as he takes the test and shuffles to the ‘fresher, the door closes behind him with a thud of finality. He looks at his own reflection and for a second, he doesn’t recognize himself, he looks gaunt and sickly and his eyes are rimmed with red. He knew something felt off about the dizziness that swept through him at work last week but he had brushed it off and he wishes that he hadn’t.  Since now he is looking down at pregnancy test getting ready to stab himself to see if a random hookup got him pregnant.</p><p>He growls and rips the test out of the package with his claws. He may have been banned but he is a still a son of Dathomir, a warrior in every sense of the word, he can handle a pregnancy test.</p><p>“You didn’t drown in the toilet did you?” Nel asks teasingly.</p><p>“No!” He barks back at her, he loved the woman but sometimes having her around is like having an obnoxious sibling, which makes his heart constrict painfully in his chest as his mind stubbornly thinks of Savage.</p><p>He quickly jams the application into the crook of his elbow and allows the device to draw the blood it needs to tell him a possibly life changing answer.</p><p>Does he even want to be pregnant? A part of him preens at the knowledge that he is fulfilling the purpose his mother has given him and that she will be pleased but the other much bigger part of him is much more frazzled at the thought of having a child. He’s working a full time job and studying for full time school. He would have to move out, he couldn’t burden Nel, having a kid would also scrap their school plans. With a baby to take care of he would have to give up on going to the University of Coruscant and his new dream of becoming an aerospace engineer, so much for being good at physics.</p><p>He knows that termination isn’t possible, the Sisters made sure of it. Any Nightbrother who became pregnant is locked into carrying the baby until the ‘birth’, the way the sisters had altered their biology made it so that any attempts to terminate a pregnancy would lead to an instant fatal internal bleeding.</p><p>He shivers at the implications of that vicious detail, he knows the first pregnancies held to term by older Nightbrothers were seen as the ultimate punishment. A sign of failure that tortured the Nightbrother for months up until the birth, a birth that would often kill the Nightbrother.</p><p>In his own musings he hasn’t been paying attention to the test so when it beeps at him he almost drops the device on the floor. He takes a deep breath and turns the device and squints at the small text and he gasps softly, Feral doesn’t even register the fact that the door has opened behind him.</p><p>“Feral what’s wrong?” Nel asks softly, when he doesn’t answer for several very long seconds she gently grabs his shoulders to turn him around.</p><p>“I’ve fucked up everything! My own mother sent me away, my brother said we were no longer family because I was weak and snapped my neck and now I’m carrying some random guy’s kid after a drunk hookup. I don’t know anything about raising a child, the Nightsisters will come and take the child away from me eventually…They always take anything good I have.” Feral says before breaking down into choked sobs of panic and Nel hushes him softly and drags him back to the bed, he sniffles into her chest as she rubs his horns.</p><p>“It’s going to be alright, we’ll figure this out. Once we find out if we got accepted into the University next week we can pack up our stuff and get of here. We’ll find your baby daddy sue for custody and then become single-wine drinking engineers, your baby can be our mascot and I can be the rich aunt that I’ve always wanted to be.” She says jokingly as she wipes the tears from his face.</p><p>“You know you don’t have to stick around, I’m going to be a pain for 10 months.” Feral says wetly.</p><p>“You’re already a pain, what’s a little more for ten months. I would be a pretty shitty friend if I left your pregnant ass all on your own. Though I do have one question?” Nel asks slyly.</p><p>“Anything.”</p><p>“Was the dick good enough to be worth a pregnancy?” She says and he hits in the face with a pillow, she squawks at him indignantly.</p><p>“You saw me after, the man had me walking funny for days, if I could choose how to die it would be to die from getting dicked-down by that man again.” Feral jokes and Nel rolls her eyes.</p><p>“I’ll start hunting his down then, I’ll be sure to get your miracle-dick man back.” She says dramatically.</p><p>He can’ help but laugh wetly, life is a mess but it is their mess and he wouldn’t want to have any else but her as his friend but even with her strong friendship the pain of his brother’s betrayal still burns bright and he hopes the light a new child brings into the world will help dull his pain.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. You Got the Wrong Man</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>ONE WEEK LATER: <em>Jango</em></strong>
</p><p>When he and Boba had decided to dock in a moderately large city about 50 kilometers away from the capital on Corellia, he expected to find a cheap room to rent and place within walking distance to eat greasy food at that his <em>ad</em> would actually eat. The boy is 13 and going through a picky eater phase much to his chagrin, they couldn’t exactly stop at the very obscure place the Boba liked when high tailing it out of a system after a mission.</p><p>With Dooku as his enemy now he has new enemies to be wary of.  While as a bounty hunter and as a famous one (<em>thank you very much</em>) he has had people ready to kill him in his sleep for years. Yet, Dooku’s allies are on another level of powerful and exceptionally moody. He knew to be wary of the Count, still he never thought that as a Mandalorian would he willingly ally himself with the Jedi and actively fight against the Dark Lord’s forces.</p><p>He boils it down to the split second where of all people, Mace fucking Windu swooped in at the last minute to deflect the red lightsaber that would have taken Boba’s head right off his little shoulders.</p><p>Almost as if to add salt into the wound of his shame, Mace had scooped a terrified Boba up and fled to a safe area. Meanwhile rage turned Jango’s vision red as he let the full force of his flame thrower be known to the Count.</p><p>He doesn’t know when helping the Jedi had become a repeating pattern, he didn’t particularly adore the Jedi or the way they tried to enforce their rules. <em>(Which is a lie, he likes Obi-Wan enough to let the man wrap Jango around his fingers and rail him from behind at least three times a month</em>). Is it the most traditional Mandalorian courting? No, then again, the new peace-loving, diplomacy talking Mandalorians have disowned him.</p><p>Stating that he stole his beskar. Which of course he didn’t (fuck you Satine) he earned it like any other Mando’a. Jaster didn’t die in his arms for some peace-lovers to debunk everything he earned because he made them look bad with his ‘violent’ way of life.</p><p>In the long run none of their opinions mattered, he knows who he is. He has raised Boba on his own and the boy is turning into a fine young man, <em>even if he won’t eat anything purple</em>.</p><p>Speaking of, Boba is the reason he found the thumping club he is currently nursing a drink at. They are in between contracts on their way back to Coruscant, Jango didn’t see the harm in stopping for a few hours and enjoy some non-recycled air. He just didn’t expect Boba to fall asleep immediately after eating and then having to carrying the young teen on his back on the walk back to the hostel.</p><p>It reminded him of when the boy had been a true ik'aad and a wave of bittersweet nostalgia had swept through him. The boy is growing up fast and he couldn’t imagine a place he'd rather be than raising his son, his <em>ad</em> and watching him become his own person.</p><p>After he had put Boba to bed in their hostel room he had found himself getting bored and he had wandered deeper into the city, observing the night life as people who were celebrating the end of the planet’s work week flowed in and out of different establishments. When he had stumbled into the Pirate’s Bootleg he was charmed, Hondo would love it, he would have to mention it to melodramatic, silver tongued pirate.</p><p>When he had sequestered him self in a booth in the back of the lively club, he hadn’t expected a Zabrak to trip over his words as he asked his drink order. He knows he’s a well-known bounty hunter and that he had pumped out an army of 4 million clones, people were bound to recognize him when he was out of armor. He just didn’t expect such a awestruck reaction, it did stroke his ego, however.</p><p>Obi-Was had joked that if wanted to remain hidden than his face was a better disguise than his notorious T-visor helmet, years ago it would have been the opposite. He had tried to make small talk with the poor kid but it had made the Zabrak more nervous.</p><p>He had stuttered that his drink would be at his table soon and then proceeded to almost trip over his own feet in his haste to get away.</p><p>Which now leaves Jango sitting in the booth several minutes later nursing his cocktail confusedly. His confusion isn’t helped by the fact that a tiny Pantoran woman keeps glaring at him like she would tear him to pieces with all her five feet of glory. He tries not to let it bother him, people glared at him for a living, the booze and music are good so he tries to relax into the seat, that is, until two rough hands fall onto his shoulders.</p><p>His body instantly goes ridged and ready for a fight but as he takes a second to look up he only sees a gruff looking woman in her 50s, while she looked old there is no denying the strength in her grip and he narrows his eyes.</p><p>“My good man, may I have a word? There is someone here that wants to speak with you.” She says with a heavy accent and he nods slowly. This may be a trap but the club isn’t the type to hold shady characters, it is immaculate in every detail, something seedy clubs throughout the galaxy don’t care about, maybe it is just another one of his many contacts that had new intel for him.</p><p>The woman claps her hands together warmly and she smiles nicely enough to be disarming but Jango kills, hunts and captures people for a living, he knows hostility when he sees it, even when cleverly hidden behind kindness.</p><p>He follows the purple skinned woman through the club until they reach a door that has ‘employees only’ stamped across it in bold letters. While Jango doesn’t get nervous he is cautiously weary, he’s armed enough to take down a hostile enemy but he’s without any protective gear. He wouldn’t be completely uninjured if there’s a fight and if he came back hurt Boba would be moody and silent until they sees Obi-Wan again.</p><p>However, he’s surprised to see the same blushing Zabrak and the tiny Pantoran are the only ones in the room with him.</p><p>“Is this him, baby?” The woman asks kindly and the Zabrak nods haltingly as he looks away blushing furiously.</p><p>“Congratulations cum-and-go, you’re going to be a father.” The tiny Pantoran says acidly.</p><p>
  <em>What?</em>
</p><p>“I don’t think we’ve met before, also I’m already a father, I do believe you have me confused for somebody else.” Jango says incredulously.</p><p>“No, not me jackass, him! Are you really that much of an ass that you can’t even remember your hookups?” She says stomping her foot and pointing to the silent Zabrak who has only curled further in on himself.</p><p>“Nel, please don’t. It doesn’t matter.” He says meekly and Jango feels bad for the kid, he sounds more lost than a blind newborn kit.</p><p>
  <em>Also.</em>
</p><p>“Male Zabraks can get pregnant? I sure missed that lesson in school.” He jokes but the poor kid just looks like he might cry.</p><p>“I’m a Nightbrother, from Dathomir.” He says with a shaky voice, Jango can swear the kid’s eyes look wet now.</p><p><em>Oh. That explains it. </em>Jango winces.</p><p>“Kid, I’m sure you’re a fine guy but I’ve been in the  Naboo system for at least 2 months collecting a bounty and I’ve been fucking a Jedi for years, I can call him and he can tell you how he railed me when I saw him last time.” Jango says earnestly with his hands up in surrender.</p><p>“Then why do we both remembering seeing you at the club last month and then leaving our apartment?” Nel asks sharply.</p><p>There’s a heavy pregnant pause. <em>(no pun intended)</em></p><p>
  <em>Amazing. His own clones can’t even use the smarts he gave them to use protection when fucking their hookups. </em>
</p><p>He already knows who would be fucking dumb enough.</p><p>“Did this man with my face have a goatee and a 5 tattooed near his hairline?” Jango asks tiredly as he scrubs his face.</p><p>“How did you know?!” The Zabrak says as his head shoots up from his slumped curl.</p><p>“Long story short, you had sex with one of my clones. I’m Jango, nice to meet you tiny angry Pantoran and pregnant Nightbrother, I’m the template for all current GAR soldiers, you know, for the war that’s been going on for the past two years?” He says and it looks like the two kids may faint.</p><p>“Fuck.” She says before collapsing onto the couch in defeat.</p><p>“Don’t mind if I do, I’m going to need one if we’re going to deal with the idiot who decided to drop his load in you and leave.” Jango says as he drops into the overstuffed chair opposite to where they sit.</p><p>“You know who we’re talking about? Aren’t there like-? Four million clones?” Nel asks, her name is Nel and he feels like calling her tiny angry Pantoran would earn him some bite marks if he keeps the joke going any longer.</p><p>“Surprisingly yes, they may be idiots but they’re my idiots and I try to know as many as I can, the man that’s knocked you up is named Fives, he’s an ARC trooper with the 501<sup>st</sup>. I also know for a fact that he should be back on Coruscant in the next two days so if you want to meet him we should probably leave soon.” Jango says as he claps his hands together.</p><p>He'll have to call and wake Boba and tell him there’s been a change of plans. He honestly thought that Boba would be the first one of the first ones to give him grandkids but he isn’t complaining.</p><p>“It’s that easy?” The Nightbrother asks wetly.</p><p>“Yeah kid, it really is. I’m not just going to leave you and have you raise this kid on your own. The baby is technically my grandkid.” Jango says as he holds out his hand for the timid Zabrak to take.</p><p>“I’m coming too, wherever you’re taking Feral.” Nel says defiantly as she juts out her chin.</p><p>“Sure tiny, you can come too. Hope you don’t mind being carry on luggage.” The jab makes Feral huff a laugh and it’s better than seeing the poor kid on the verge of a sobbing break down.</p><p>“Come on, no time like the present, I hear Coruscant is lovely at this time, a day visit is just what we need.” He says as the two barely legal adults follow him out into the vibrant cityscape.</p><p>
  <em>Oh boy, oh boy indeed.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>HOURS LATER: <em>Feral</em></strong>
</p><p>He keeps flicking his eyes nervously to the boy sitting next to him in the cockpit of Jango’s ship. Said boy looks right back at him with an equal mix of hostility and intrigue and it makes Feral nervous. While he and Nel had gotten their acceptance letters only a few days prior to the programs they applied for, he didn’t expect to be making the trip to Coruscant with a bounty hunter in a ship called <em>Slave II.</em></p><p>He was too afraid to ask about <em>Slave I</em> but Nel wasn’t and Jango had only laughed and made a vague comment of him being the rough draft for everything.</p><p>He had foolishly hoped that he could continue his pregnancy in secrecy, never to meet the father of his child and try to live his life as normally as possible. Well as normal as his life could be as Savage ran around murdering Jedi with another Zabrak, he knows he’s been replaced but the sting of the reminder doesn’t hurt any less.</p><p>“Boba stop glaring at Feral please, just because Fives is an idiot doesn’t mean you’re being replaced as my <em>ad.</em>” Jango says without turning away from the ship’s controls and the boy looks the perfect picture of a scolded child.</p><p>“Sorry…” The boy mumbles apologetically.</p><p>“Don’t worry about it kid, if someone had come up to me and said a clone of their dad got them pregnant I wouldn’t believe it either.” Feral says with a huff and the boy smiles, he’s cute, adorably so and Feral wonders what his baby, <em>his baby </em>will look like.</p><p>Thinking of the organism growing inside him as his baby is still weird, it still makes him uncomfortable in an unnameable way.</p><p>Maybe it’s the fact that the reality of his forcibly altered biology has finally caught up to him, reminding him that his place as a Nightbrother is inescapable. A reminder that he will always be in servitude to the Nightsister’s manipulations, even as he tries to enjoy the sliver of life he has carved out for himself.</p><p>His unexpected pregnancy serves as a constant reminder as to <em>why </em>he can bear children when the normal laws of biology would usually saw otherwise.</p><p>While he knows the galaxy is a massive and ever-expanding place that has million of species that have differing biology and means of reproduction. He still knows that the male Iridonian Zabraks aren’t able to carry children, he also knows that the men in the village can’t carry children until they’re dragged away for a mating ritual.</p><p>He knows he’s been changed permanently to be nothing more than breeding stock so his sons and daughters can be sacrificed however the Nightsisters see fit.</p><p>“Will you get big like other species when they get pregnant?” Boba asks suddenly and he can hear how Nel muffles a laugh with a cough and the long-suffering sigh Jango blows out .</p><p>“Probably, we never saw what happened to the men in my village when they started to show that they were pregnant, they would stay inside all day before being taken by the Nightsisters for the removal.” Feral responds honestly and he can see how the boy looks slightly mortified.</p><p>“Boba, what did I say about playing 20 questions when we have guests or bounties?” Jango says as he moves the <em>Slave II</em> into one of the many lanes of traffic after they pop out of hyper-space just on the border of Coruscant’s space district.</p><p>It hadn’t taken long to travel from Corellia after they had said a tearful goodbye to Fayte and packed up their things from the apartment. At most only a few hours have passed since first meeting Jango and Feral can say he’s a little nervous at how fast everything is moving around him.</p><p>“To only ask questions that make them fear for their lives?” He responds innocently, blinking big honey coloured eyes at his father and the man snorts.</p><p>“<em>No</em>, you got that from Aura Sing, why Hondo dated that woman I’ll never know and I still need to pay him back for him letting her get close to you. You know a strong silence is the best intimidation.” Jango says and Feral almost laughs at the absurdity of sitting in on a bounty hunting lesson with the father-son duo.</p><p>“She isn’t all bad…” The boy protests.</p><p>“You haven’t seen her angry yet.” Jango replies easily. “Now hush, I need to contact Kenobi.” He says and Boba rolls his eyes.</p><p>“Your Jedi boyfriend will pickup no matter what time it is.” Boba says snarkily before pouting and being a usual moody teenager and Feral is curious about what the tension is about.</p><p>He turns to Nel and she mouths <em>‘abandonment issues’</em>.</p><p>“Jango, do you have an idea what time it is right now?” The red-haired Jedi says as his sleepy hologram appears.</p><p>“A perfect time to call?” Jango says cheekily and the Jedi sighs with a smile.</p><p>“What are you brining me now?” The Jedi says curiously looking more awake than a few seconds before.</p><p>“I can’t call  just to profess my undying love for you Obi-Wan?” Jango says he then pouts, looking identical to Boba.</p><p>“Jango.” Obi-Wan says blandly, obviously they’ve had this conversation more than once.</p><p>“I’m brining a Nightbrother that Fives has impregnated on one of his missions to spread my DNA across the galaxy.” Jango says dryly and Obi-wan just stares incredulously at the bounty for several long minutes, long enough to make Feral nervous.</p><p>“As in a Zabrak from Dathomir? I didn’t think it was possible for them to get pregnant.” Obi-Wan says as he strokes his beard, he looks off camera briefly before retuning his attention to Jango.</p><p>“Neither did I, either way I’m brining him to the Temple so Fives can take responsibility<em>, Kenobi the kid is barely 21 years old I couldn’t leave the him hanging</em>. Just drag Fives from whatever bar the boys have chosen and get him to meet us when we touch down.” Jango says in a not so subtle whisper and Feral feels himself blush furiously.</p><p>“I’ll arrange it at once, you know the Chancellor and Council will have to be informed.” Obi-Wan say sternly.</p><p>“I know, just tell Windu to smile at the kid. We don’t need Mace making our guest breakdown within the first few minutes of his visit.” Jango says and Obi-Wan smiles.</p><p>“I’ll be sure to tell him, goodbye Jango. I’ll see you when you touch down.” He says before cutting the connection.</p><p>Feral sits in silent contemplation about what had just occurred between the bounty hunter and the Jedi, he has no idea what will happen to him the moment they gets to the surface. Will they isolate him from the outside world? Keep him strapped to tubes and machines until they are satisfied with what they find?</p><p>He hopes he can attend school while he still can, from what he’s heard the Jedi are cold and unfeeling. No different than the Nightsisters who have been distorted and warped by the power of the force.</p><p>He knows that if they’re anything like that then he wouldn’t be able to stay. He would have to squirrel himself away in the farthest reaches of space, where he knows no one would treat him as an object to be manipulated or obtained.</p><p>However even from the short interaction between Obi-Wan and Jango Feral saw, the Jedi acted like a person. Someone who acted no different than a normal civilian and he thinks, just maybe he hasn’t been made to fear the Jedi but fear the force as a power of destruction instead of a power of balance.</p><p>The Force is a tool of fear and destruction on Dathomir and it’s all he’s ever known about the mystic power.</p><p>Jango must have sensed his unease because at that moment he spoke up.</p><p>“The council isn’t bad, a little stiff and they’re nowhere near perfect but they aren’t malicious, they probably just want to keep you safe from the Nightsisters. Obi-Wan and his former snot-nosed brat apprentice  had a run in with Mother Talzin a few weeks ago when they went searching for answers about the newest Sith, they know she’s dangerous.” Jango says as he pats Feral’s knee.</p><p>“I thought the Mandalorians hated the Jedi...?” He asks haltingly, the ship rattles just slightly as they break through the planet’s atmosphere.</p><p>“Depends on who you ask, the new Mandalorians are indifferent, the bitterness towards the Jedi has died as the old Mandalorians have slowly disappeared into history. I think me and Boba are the only few left that still practice the old ways. The way I’ve come to see it, you can either let your own anger destroy you in the attempts for petty revenge or you can build a life worth living.” Jango says and Feral is thrown off by the intensity behind his words.</p><p>“What changed?” He asks curiously.</p><p>“I almost lost Boba on several occasions in my selfish anger, the order that I hated most swooped in on every occasion to clean up the messes I had made for myself and Boba, regardless of my past crimes against them. I came to realize that it was unfair for the Jedi to carry the guilt of the progenitors that had murdered my people, it was time to move on and finally let my people rest peacefully knowing I carry the true way of Mandalore honourably.” Jango says, the ship fills with a heavy mournful silence and Boba jumps out of his seat to embrace his father.</p><p>Feral and Nel sit in silence as they can’t find the words to respond to Jango’s confession, however Feral takes the man’s words to heart knowing that the words come from a place of painful experiences. He doesn’t want to disappoint the man that has bestowed him with such private information.</p><p>He just hopes he can follow in the man’s example.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>ik'aad = baby<br/>ad = son/daughter</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Bitch-Slapping Bodyguard</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>~l i s t e n~  as a lesbian googling other words for ejaculation made me want to die and I kind of had to guess how dicks work since I haven't wrote porn in like ~7 years~ so I had to google it :,)</p><p>~Also ~ a fact that the TCW series never covered fully in the show was the day to day life in the clones and Jedi in war, which makes sense since it was an anthology series so they wouldn't have had time to include it in the show. I know the clones and Jedi are seen as 'professional and serious' but in reality they're just a bunch of  20 years olds with like a teenage thrown in so they're bound to have moments of immaturity when confronted with issues they aren't prepared to handle, which is kind of the tone I'm going for in this fic.</p><p>In this AU they all age normally after 20( which is explained in this chapter) I'll be writing them not as 26 year old totally pessimistic angst buckets, the angst will be there but you'll see themes of what people in their early 20s are actually like. </p><p>Last point is time line wise Fives and Feral hooked up a month after the Citadel mission and four months since Ventress went to the Nightbrother's village, Savage hasn't killed Adi Gallia at this point.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>MIDNIGHT: <em>Rex</em></strong>
</p><p>Rex slowly climbs out of his deep sleep up with a heavy weight curled over his back, the weight is warm and pins him down with a comforting rumble. He’s still pliant with sleep and barely on the edge of consciousness so he starts to fall back asleep when the weight starts to grind against him in fluid waves.</p><p>At first the motions are uncoordinated and messy but once Anakin shifts a little more to the left, he slots himself between Rex thighs, he moans sleepily against his neck as his hardening cock slides along his ass.</p><p>He groans into the pillows as his own cock hardens, it sends fresh arousal through his half sleep body as his cock grinds against the expensive silk sheets. It’s not enough for anything to happen but it’s nice to let Anakin pepper kisses along his neck and grind against him, until he’s gets bored and decides he wants to actually fuck him.</p><p>“Where’s Padmé?” Rex says between pants.</p><p>“Right here.” She says as her warm breath ghosts over his ear making him shiver, he turns his head to face the newly appointed Chancellor of the Grand Republic and beckons her to come closer.</p><p>Their lips meet in a slow kiss, unhurried as they indulge in the sweet slide of their lips as Anakin becomes more insistent with his grinding, grabbing Rex’s hips and lifting his ass so that his back is arched slightly. Padmé laughs into his mouth as he whines slightly when Anakin bites and sucks on the juncture where his neck meets his shoulder.</p><p>“He wants to fuck you so badly…” Padmé whispers huskily as she reaches under him to wrap a warm hand around his aching cock and he stutters a moan into the bed spread.</p><p>“Please…” He whimpers as she strokes him in time with Anakin’s grinding. If they keep this up, he’s going to burst before they even get started.</p><p>“Ani, put him in your lap, I want to blow him when you fuck him.” Padmé says and Rex shivers.</p><p>He can feel Anakin chuckle against his shoulder before wrapping his metal hand around Rex’s chest as he twists them to sit on the edge of the bed, Rex’s feet dangle just above the ground.</p><p>He isn’t going to admit how hot and bothered their height difference gets him.</p><p>Anakin loops his lower legs around Rex’s shins and spread his legs apart, leaving enough room for Padmé to slide her way between his legs. She wraps a hand around his cock again but moves her other hand to rub lube around his rim.</p><p>When did she have time get lube?</p><p>He gasps as she wraps her lips around the head of his cock and his hips try to jerk forward only for Anakin’s hands to clamp down on them, keeping him perfectly still. After he relaxes into the Jedi’s grip, she presses the first finger into him, moving it around slowly in and out, crooking her finger until she finds his prostate. He cries out in surprise as she massages it relentlessly pulling whimpers and moans out of him.</p><p>He drops his head back onto Anakin’s shoulder and he attacks his neck with bites and kisses without mercy, he can’t suppress his moans even if he tries to. Padmé presses another finger in him and it only burns for a second before she takes his entire cock into her mouth with her nose is pressed to his lower abs.</p><p>He's caught between the two as they tease him and he can’t help but squirm on Anakin’s lap as he tries to hold back his release.</p><p>“I think he’s ready.” Padmé says with a smirk after she pulls off his cock obscenely slow, winking at her husband over Rex’s shoulder.</p><p>“I am….” He whimpers as she pulls her fingers out of him and Anakin lifts him up to line the head of his cock with Rex’s rim. He pushes up and his cock breaches the tight ring of muscle and Anakin groans loudly.</p><p>“Fuck, you’re so tight.” He moans as he slowly lowers Rex further down his cock, inch by inch until Rex is flush against Anakin’s lap. He grunts as he adjusts to the Jedi’s length stretching him out as his cockhead presses teasingly on his prostate. He whimpers grinding down onto him for just the tiniest bit of friction that would push him over the edge.</p><p>“You’re just big.” Rex wheezes out.</p><p>He can’t stop his moan as Anakin begins to move, grabbing his thighs and bodily moving Rex up and down his cock while Padmé runs her tongue over the veins on his. He can’t do much but cry out when Anakin thrusts become particularly rough, his cock slams into him with enough strength to make his vision white-out for a moment.</p><p>When Anakin slams him down and holds him close as he grinds into him Rex makes a high needy whine, the sound is drawn out of the depths of his body.</p><p>“I’m…gonna…I’m close.” He whimpers and Anakin nips his ear as he slows his grinding into deep strong strokes that make Rex’s toes curl and each gasp for air ends with a moan.</p><p>Which is why it’s exactly the wrong time for Obi-Wan’s voice to ring out across the room as Anakin shoves him down on his cock. They can try to ignore him but then he would call Anakin, then his men and then he would just come knocking for wherever they could be.</p><p>The last thing he wants his the General to see him sitting on his former apprentice’s cock with the Supreme Chancellor sucking him off.</p><p>“Rex, come in please.”</p><p>That would be more than a mood killer, he probably wouldn’t be able to show his face ever again. So as Anakin’s cock presses into his prostate he laughs shakily, he can feel the Jedi sulk as Padmé walks over to rummage through the pile of clothes that they left on the floor several hours earlier.</p><p>“I’m going to stay in you when you report to Obi-Wan. I don’t care if he hears me enjoy your ass.” Anakin says with a groan and Rex squeezes his muscles together, making Anakin give a full body shudder as he grips his hips tighter.</p><p>“He’s didn’t raise me, I’m just fucking the boss’ son.” Rex says cheekily but whimpers when Anakin sucks a dark mark high on his neck.</p><p>Padmé hands him his commlink with a smirk.</p><p>“General Kenobi, what can I do for your sir?” Rex says barely holding back a gasp as Anakin begins to move.</p><p>“Jango is brining a Zabrak that Fives has supposedly impregnated to the Temple within the next 30 minutes, I need you to bring him here so we can figure out what to do.” Obi-Wan says and he can feel Padmé and Anakin’s confusion as he sighs.</p><p>“General, all do respect, Fives has about 10 children floating around, tell her to take it up with the GAR officials.” Rex says and his eyes roll back into his head as Padmé warps a hand around his cock and quickly starts stroking him.</p><p>“He’s impregnated a Nightbrother of all people, a male Zabrak.” Obi-Wan clarifies.</p><p>
  <em>Of course he fucking did.</em>
</p><p>“Understood General Kenobi, I’ll bring Fives to the Temple as soon as I can.” Rex says as he tries not to groan into his commlink.</p><p>“Thank you Captain, Kenobi out.” Obi-Wan cuts the connection and Rex whimpers as his body goes ridged and he releases in spurts over Padmé’s chest as Anakin fucks him in earnest, drawing out his orgasm until his breath stutters in overstimulation.</p><p>Anakin finishes in him three strokes later with a groan that sounds like it’s been punched out of his chest, he slowly pulls out with a sigh, leaving a trail of white liquid to slide down Rex’s thigh.</p><p>All three of them flop onto Padmé’s massive bed and Rex begrudgingly pulls out his comm to type in Fives’ frequency code when all he wants is to go back to sleep, he’s exhausted beyond words.</p><p>The war clean-up campaign is just as tiresome, if not more tiresome than the actual war. Chasing down missing brothers, arresting Separatists war criminals and dissolving pockets of resistance is tedious business. Yet, over the months there has been no sign of Grievous or Dooku and he does really hope that they’re dead somewhere in the sucking void of space.</p><p>Who knew that Palpatine would be removed from office and sent to an off world prison for gross misuse of public funds and an array of other crimes to purposefully keep the clones as objects and to prolong the war, not him that’s for certain. Rex wants to laugh at the absurdity of it all but on the other hand it feels good to be a person and to get paid for his blood, sweat and tears.</p><p>The fact that Cut can live with his family and not in fear makes all the suffering worth it, so the old man can rot for all he cares.</p><p>“Fives, where are you?” Rex asks tiredly into his commlink.</p><p>He knows he’s at 79s right now, he had come back from his undercover mission with General Vos this morning. If he doesn’t get a response he’s going to have to leave the comfort of Padmé’s apartment to go find him, he won’t be happy if he has to do that.</p><p>“I’m just leaving 79s now Rex, why?” Fives’ voice comes clear and mostly sober and Rex thanks whatever gods are listening.</p><p>“When did you have time to get a male Zabrak pregnant?” He asks tersely, there’s a long pause and Rex can hear muffled laughter that sounds a lot like Hardcase.</p><p>“There’s no fucking way, Cap’ I only raw-dog when I know they can’t get pregnant.” Fives protests.</p><p>“From the amount of calls the GAR gets about your supposed love-children that’s a lie. It’s a serious enough that Jango is bringing him in, you can get the full disappointed look from the rough draft himself in person at the Temple.” Rex says with a frown he knows Fives can hear.</p><p>He wiggles into a pair of loose-fitting pants, trying not to blush as he feel how Anakin’s spunk leaks out of his ass.</p><p>“That’s hypocritical and you know it, plus technically my children are all our children. Also, the Temple? I smell like a bar Rex, this can’t be <em>that</em> serious.” Fives whines and now he can hear Jesse laughing with Hardcase.</p><p>“Apparently it is, meet me at the Temple in 15 minutes soldier and tell Jesse that if he’s smoking again I’m making him run laps for all of drill day tomorrow” Rex scolds before cutting the connection and tugging his short sleeve shirt on.</p><p>“I’m sure the Council will call you if it’s urgent—” Rex says only for Anakin’s commlink to beep.</p><p>The Jedi groans loudly into the pillow he’s currently spooning.</p><p>“Sounds like it’s urgent then.” Padmé says with a laugh as Anakin groans again and rolls out of bed.</p><p>Which gives Rex a nice view, he stares unashamedly while the Jedi fumbles around naked for his robes.</p><p>“Well, I’ll be enjoying the bed while you boys are gone, hopefully that poor Zabrak isn’t too traumatized.” She says as she spreads out on the bed.</p><p>“I’m glad you’re enjoying this.” Anakin says before he leans over Padmé to say goodbye with slow long kiss.</p><p>When they separate, she curls her fingers and Rex comes easily to also kiss her goodbye. While they have been together for several months Rex still feels awkward in parts of their relationship, parts where his programming screams at him that he shouldn’t be doing this.</p><p>However, he’s his own person now and he is going to do what he pleases.</p><p>“I’ll be here to make it all better when you boys get back.” She teases before making a shooing motion with her hands.</p><p>Anakin grumbles almost all the way down to the street, he only stops when Rex pulls him into a deep kiss in the elevator which seems to improve his mood slightly.</p><p>“Are you nervous to see Jango?” Anakin asks as they hop into Anakin’s personal speeder.</p><p>“No, I don’t have an issue with him now that he’s cleaned up his attitude about clones, he also like me because it boosts ego knowing he looks good as a blonde.” Rex says and Anakin laughs as they zip through the <em>very</em> early morning sky.</p><p>Anakin didn’t laugh much during the war so Rex hopes he can hear more of it now that the war is over, he likes the way it sounds.</p><p>
  <strong>A LITTLE LATER: <em>Fives</em></strong>
</p><p>Fives groans as he marches up the stairs to the Temple, he may have lied to Rex when he said he only had a few drinks. Jesse said he would back him up about his two beer lie, if he didn’t snitch about him smoking at least half a pack when they were at the bar.</p><p>He feels nauseous from taking one too many shots of the Naboo rum that was on the house for the night, the stairs seem uneven and the lights from the Temple are too bright for his pounding head. If he’s being honest with himself, he doesn’t even remember the Zabrak’s name and he knows he’s going to be dressed down the moment he steps foot in the Temple.</p><p>He's going to be glared at by the <em>rough draft</em>-he reminds himself not to call Jango the rough draft (only Cody could get away with that), he doesn’t feel like getting laid out by his fake dad, his head hurts enough. How was he supposed to know that a male Zabrak could get pregnant? The guy certainly hadn’t mentioned it when he said not to bother with a condom, he also hadn’t mentioned it when was riding Fives into the mattress.</p><p>He has to stop that line of thought, if he gets hard now it won’t go down, he’s too drunk to control his body. He can’t face the Jedi and the guy he’s supposedly knocked up with a raging hard on. No armor means no codpiece to cover up an accidental boner.</p><p>He kind of wishes Chancellor Amidala hadn’t ordered immediate genetic testing so that they could permanently stop the accelerated aging. While a full long life is nice, he feels like if he were closer to 24 rather than the tail end of his 21<sup>st</sup> year it would be easier to control his dick.</p><p>Alas, he is stuck at 21-almost 22 and exceptionally horny, all the damn time. Honestly, he isn’t surprised multiple people have come back to try and shove a child into his arms. Even so, those babies could have been anyone’s, they’re clones which makes a DNA test pretty redundant.</p><p>He sees Anakin as walks up the last few steps, he’s still stuck on what to call the man now that the war is ending, are the Jedi still Generals? He knows the man isn’t a Master yet and Knight Skywalker just seemed too informal for a guy who is in a committed relationship with his Captain.</p><p>He’s still a little scarred for life after accidently walking in on some very heated foreplay thinly veiled as a sparring match. He had just slapped a hand over Ahsoka’s eyes and had rushed her away as she squawked indignantly.</p><p>Speaking of, he smirks when he sees a fresh hickey on Rex’s neck.</p><p>“General, Captain, I’m here as requested.” Fives says and he tries not to show how drunk he is, with the unamused frown Anakin gives him he’s pretty sure he doesn’t do a good job.</p><p>“How drunk are you Fives?” Anakin says with a sigh and Fives tries his best to blink big, innocent eyes at him.</p><p>“Do you want a fake or honest answer sir?” He says sweetly and Anakin raises a brow at him.</p><p>“I may have had three beers and five shots.” He says stumbling slightly until Rex grabs his upper arm to steady him.</p><p>“Let’s go soldier, you have a baby mama to meet.”  Rex says with a weary sigh as they march through the Temple halls, Fives never understood how no one got lost in this place.</p><p>The walk feels short and he feels slightly more sober than he did before when they approach the Council chamber. He tries his best too look as professional as possible even if his shirt is stained from where a Twi’lek had spilled her drink all over him.</p><p>“Ah, young Skywalker and Captain Rex so glad you could arrange a meeting with ARC trooper Fives with us.” Ki-Adi-Mundi says.</p><p>“Of course Masters, we understand that this is a pressing matter.” Anakin says in a knowing tone before glancing at Fives.</p><p>Fives understands the look and he knows it means to look chagrin as possible but currently he’s trying his best not to throw up. If he’s here for a long-winded scolding then he’s most definitely going to vomit on the floor.</p><p>He only belatedly realizes that an unimpressed looking Jango walks into the room with timid look Zabrak behind him, probably no older than he is. Fives purposefully keeps his eyes on the floor, he remembers the Zabrak that everyone keep mentioning now.</p><p>“Fives, it’s good to see you again.” Feral whispers as he comes to stand next to him while Jango leaves silently.</p><p>“You too…” He mumbles.</p><p>“News we have received, the two of you it is about. Unexpected this may be.” Yoda says inquisitively.</p><p>Fives feels likes being dressed down by Alpha-17 in nothing but his blacks and he burns with embarrassment, the fog of alcohol practically burning out of his system.</p><p>“Yes, General.” Fives says, eyes still facing the floor.</p><p>“You will not be facing any disciplinary actions Fives, what you do on your own time is no business of the Jedi’s. However, with the return of Darth Maul and the Sith warrior known as Savage Oppress who have murdered several Jedi this revelation complicates things, as you have impregnated a Nightbrother. The Nightsisters are not known to let the brothers leave the planet.” Obi-Wan says and Fives starts to feel himself get nervous, has he just stupidly fallen for a trap and put everyone in danger?</p><p>“So, you’re saying that I’ve possibly had sex with a spy and have put all my brothers at risk?” Fives asks stonily as he glares at Feral who is now looking at the ground.</p><p>“I’m no spy, while true Darth Maul and Savage Opress are my biological brothers, I have never met Maul and I doubt he knows I exist and Savage permanently cut ties with me as he pledged his loyalty to Ventress. Mother Talzin banned me from my home planet, which is how I ended up living on Corellia. I was unaware that she had manipulated my body to be compatible with other species to reproduce.” Feral says neutrally but Fives can see the way his breath catches on certain words and he instantly feels guilty for accusing the Zabrak of being a spy.</p><p>“Ventress and Savage worked together for some time?” Mace asks curiously as he leans forwards.</p><p>“For a time, she came into our village for a champion and slaughtered 15 of us before taking Savage away, however if he is with Maul I don’t believe that he is under her control any longer.” Feral replies honestly.</p><p>“If Maul is involved then we will have to keep you on Coruscant, he thrives on taking possession of things so it would be best to keep your existence and condition a secret.” Obi-Wan says as his eyes go distant.</p><p>“I actually recently got accepted into the University of Coruscant so I will be staying on the planet for the next several years.” Feral admits shyly.</p><p>“Excellent, now the council has decided that it would best if you were to be placed in an apartment near the Temple with Fives, for security reasons. If you agree.” Shakk Ti says, her hologram form flickering slightly.</p><p>“General Ti, I’m sure there is someone much more capable than me. I’m being sent on missions every other week off planet for operation Clean-up.” Fives protests and he can see Feral crumple, fuck he’s already made the guy upset twice within 5 minutes.</p><p>“You’re being reassigned to Chancellor Amidala’s personal guard, your ARC training will be valuable when protecting her from recent threats. Your current assignments are being put on hold indefinitely until the baby arrives and future decisions are made.” Plo Koon says with an air of finality.</p><p>“But I’m so close to finding answer, I know that if I just have a few more weeks I can find him!” Fives says loudly and he winces internally.</p><p>“You will be able to return to your mission in time.” Luminara explains.</p><p>“It may be too late then! I can’t afford to waste time, Echo is alive, I know it!” At this point he’s shouting at the Jedi council and he knows he’s making a fool of himself but he knows his brother is alive. Echo is out there somewhere in Separatists hands having who knows what done to him and everyone wants him to stay to take care of an accidental baby.</p><p>
  <em>It isn’t fair.</em>
</p><p>“Fives…” Rex says warningly as he takes a step forwards as a silent command to silence himself.</p><p>Before he can correct his behaviours and make his peace, a tiny Pantoran with teal hair comes bursting through the doors of the Council room much to everyone’s surprise.</p><p>How she got in is another question completely.</p><p>With surprise on her side no one is prepared for when she backhands Fives across the face and stunned silence fills the room.</p><p>“You know we can hear you through the door and all I’ve hear from you is me, me, me. I’m being so hard done by in this situation, this interferes with my work, why do I have to do this. Not once have you considered how Feral feels, he didn’t want this either but we’ve traveled all he way here and have graciously accepted the Jedi’s terms. Yet you cannot accept even the tiniest bit of responsibility for the situation you’ve caused.” She says and there is a thick silence that fills the room as Fives tries to hold back the urge to throttle her.</p><p>He knows she’s right which is why her words sting so much, he hasn’t considered how Feral feels. He got caught up in his own emotions thinking of the leads he has painstaking collected to find Echo, all slipping through his fingers with each waking second he wastes not chasing them.</p><p>He left his brother once, he isn’t going to do it again when he knows he’s out there.</p><p>“Come on Feral, the healers here wanted to see you, anyone who matters now will come see us there.” She says before gently puling a wounded looking Feral out of the room.</p><p>“I believe the young woman put it best Fives, you now must claim this responsibility, this is not a punishment and you cannot see it as one.” Obi-Wan explains as he looks at the closing door.</p><p>“Now, it seems you have much to discuss with Feral, I do believe now is the best time to do it before it is too late.” Shakk Ti says and Fives nods sulkily before marching out of the doors.</p><p>He can hear Rex’s voice in the fading conversation but there’s enough anger in his veins to tune out anything he says.</p><p>However, he knows he needs to make this right with Feral, he didn’t deserve is attitude and he hopes he can patch up his mistakes and earn the Zabrak’s forgiveness and make peace with his tiny bitch-slapping bodyguard.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Sorry I was Shit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I've mentioned this in my other fic but I'm going away for a week  to my cottage that doesn't have any wifi so next week there's no updates but the week after I'll be following a consistent posting schedule every Tuesday and Friday!</p><p>I've also decided that this fic is going to be 40 chapters!</p><p>ALSO: an additional warning for mentions of sexual slavery (non-graphic)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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  <strong>MID MORNING: <em>Feral</em></strong>
</p><p>Feral hadn’t known what to expect when they first arrived at the Temple, he hadn’t expected the warm welcome he got from the council, they were mildly suspicious, they had every right to be. The only other Nightbrothers who had left the planet were Maul and Savage, both of them have murdered several Jedi, Jedi who had lives and friends, apparently friends in high places as well.</p><p>Feral can’t say he would be as forgiving or welcoming, if their positions were switched, either way he is grateful for their hospitality and generosity.</p><p>He’s also glad he didn’t have to play an invasive 20 questions with each member. Outsiders who aren’t accustomed to their way of life, often took to the news that the Nightbrothers are the ones who carry the pregnancy badly or see it as an opportunity to take advantage of them.</p><p>He remembers how one Nightsister took his friend Ire off planet several years earlier, saying how his fertility would bring quiet a price on other planets. His friend had been too soft, too beautiful, he was strong like the rest of them but never interested in fighting or proving his strength, he was a diamond in the rough in their village, he deserved much better than he ever got.</p><p>He had only been about 18 when he disappeared one morning without a trace only to return a year later. Ire had only spoken to Feral in confidence one night about how he had been sold to highest bidder at an auction. About how he was forced to bear the children of the auction winner, how he was made into nothing but an object, a freak of nature whose only use was to give pleasure and birth offspring.</p><p>Something he said had happened for endless nights as the child grew within in him.</p><p>He hadn’t been the same after that, then Ventress had killed him like he was nothing. Like his life was meaningless to her, like his desire to leave Dathomir and find his child were meaningless when compared to her plans.</p><p>He hadn’t even gotten a chance to burry Ire properly or mourn the theft of his brother before the Nightsisters had dragged him from his bed that fateful day. He tries not to think too much about Ire, he hopes the village gave him a proper burial.</p><p>If he could ever go back to his home planet, visiting his grave and giving Ire a proper remembrance would be the only reason to go.</p><p>He knows that will never happen, Mother Talzin would probably kill him before he even stepped foot back on Dathomir.</p><p>He also hadn’t expected Fives’ reluctance and brusque words to sting so much, he knew going into the situation that the news of his pregnancy wouldn’t exactly be accepted with open arms, still. He knows he probably means nothing to Fives, what they had was a simple hookup when he was on Corellia for a few hours. They had a good time and then he had left to continue his life.</p><p>Feral wasn’t expecting a big romantic reunion but he hadn’t expected to be treated like he was nothing other than a burden, only arriving to make his life harder.</p><p>Feral sulks as he replays the past few minutes in his head and he finds himself becoming angrier, Fives isn’t the only trapped in a situation neither of them particularly wants. He won’t be the one forced into to a humiliating situation for the next 10 months.</p><p>Even now as he sits alone in a medical examination room in nothing but a loose white robe, he feels the sting of embarrassment. People will treat him differently, try and coddle him and act like he couldn’t do anything for himself, he knows they will and he hates his own body a little more for it.</p><p>Feral sits and stews in his own anger until he hears someone pace back and forth on the other side of the door before they stop abruptly.</p><p>A soft, hesitant knock sounds at the door and Feral is momentarily confused. The healer has said she needed to run a few tests on him, that due to the differences in Dathomir-Zabrak biology it would take longer for the results to return.</p><p>It’s even more of a surprise when does open the door and sees Fives at the entrance shuffling his boots nervously as he looks anywhere else but Feral.</p><p>“Fives? Is everything alright?” He asks softly, there’s no point in making the man his enemy so he shoves his battered pride down for the moment.</p><p>“Can I come in?” He mumbles nervously and Feral recognizes an attempt to make things right when he sees one, he smiles softly.</p><p>Nel would smack him for being so soft but seeing Fives at the door is painfully similar to the time Savage had shuffled to his door to apologize for breaking his nose when they were children.</p><p>Feral backs up and let’s Fives into his room. Seeing the man again reminds Feral as to why he crawled into bed with him in the first place. The man is rather dashing, even in his stained tunic.</p><p>The dark red and deep neckline shirt does nothing but intensify the man’s sexual appeal.</p><p>“I’m sorry, for everything I said earlier and for everything else. I know this can’t be easy for you and I know I kind of threw a tantrum in the Council room.” Fives says chuckling nervously.</p><p>“You definitely did.” Feral says in good humour, at least the man can admit his faults and have enough self awareness to look embarrassed about his actions.</p><p>“I’m not asking for you to forgive me, I was shitty but I was hoping we could start over. I want to take responsibility, I really do I, just got caught up in my feelings about Echo.” Fives admits as he sits down on the bed next to Feral.</p><p>“I understand I had a brother once and I would travel the galaxy and further for him, I understand what it means to love your brother. It’s a difficult love to understand but trust me when I say I know.” Feral says and Fives slumps and leans his head on Feral’s shoulder with sigh.</p><p>“Thank you, that means a lot to me.” Fives says as he straightens as if he is embarrassed for getting cuddly.</p><p>“Can I ask about him? Echo I mean.” Feral asks softly and he regrets asking as Fives’ face crumples into an expression of despair.</p><p>“It’s okay you-” Fives shakes his head as Feral tries to fix his verbal slip up.</p><p>“No, he deserves to be remembered. Echo is my batchmate, he’s been by my side through everything, our entire squad was killed at our first deployment and only he and I were left, he was all I had. He knows every scar I have, we were promoted to ARC troopers together and when he needed me most I left him.” Fives says, he takes a shuddering breath before speaking again.</p><p>“He was caught in an explosion during a rescue attempt and we thought he was dead but recently we’ve collected enough data to know he’s alive out there somewhere. I left him to die, I should’ve gone after him, I should’ve done something more.” Fives bemoans and Feral turns to bring the man to his chest.</p><p>Eventually he coaxes Fives to lean back with him until Fives clings to him as hey lays in between his legs, he sniffles softly into Feral’s bare chest and the Zabrak runs a soft hand through the soldier’s silky hair. The texture is lot nicer than Feral had through hair could be, he especially likes how Fives’ hair smooths down one way and bristles another way when strokes his hand back and forth.</p><p>He also laughs silently at the way Fives shudders on his chest as he scratches his claws softly along his scalp.</p><p>“It’s going to work out, between you and me how badly could we fuck it up? We’ve survived this long, we just have to make sure our baby comes out with at least one brain cell.” Feral says with a laugh and Fives laughs, the sound rumbles through his chest and makes Feral feel warm.</p><p>“I can only provide my dashing good looks and charm, I need my own brain cell for me, it’s the only one I have.” Fives replies and Feral can’t help but laugh until tears leak out of his eyes.</p><p>After a while he realizes that Fives has been staring at him with an odd look on his face.</p><p>“What is it?” Feral asks curiously.</p><p>“You have a nice laugh, I like it a lot.” He says as he raises his hands to cup Feral’s jaw, his thumb strokes over Feral’s bottom lip and he can feel himself blush fiercely.</p><p>“Can I kiss you?” Fives says huskily and Feral nods his head.</p><p>“Yes…” He says simply and Fives presses their mouths together in a slow kiss.</p><p>Feral tilts his head to better slot their lips together, the kiss gets heated when Fives shifts unconsciously between his leg. Wanting to press their bodies closer together Feral wraps his legs around Fives’ waist and he moans lowly into his mouth.</p><p>Which is exactly how Master healer Vokara Che finds them, with Fives’ hand under Feral’s robes and his legs wrapped around the clone, much to her displeasure.</p><p>
  <strong>DEEP SPACE-TIME UNKNOWN: <em>Savage</em></strong>
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  <em>Savage…. Remember me….!</em>
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  <em>The snap of the Zabrak’s neck was satisfying in his grip, the pathetic and weak man that had been clawing at his hand was no brother of his. The body falls from his grip and lifelessly slumps to the ground, the Nightsisters smile in approval. He grabs the new weapon he has been gifted to follow the orders of the Nightsister who had chosen him.</em>
</p><p>He wakes with a start, half a cry on his lips but he clamps his teeth into his tongue until he tastes blood and the cry dies in his throat.</p><p>
  <em>The Sith don’t cry.</em>
</p><p>Another nightmare, they were coming more frequently, always about Feral.</p><p>His brotht-no, he doesn’t deserve to be called Feral’s brother after what he did. After what he had said, he barely deserves the title Nightbrother. Rage fills his core every time he thinks of the witch who had ordered him to kill his brother, he hates himself even more for the fact that he had obeyed.</p><p>If he was the true warrior he was always told he was than he would’ve resisted the witch’s manipulation.</p><p>If he was a true brother just maybe Feral would still be alive, even so Maul still lives and he is glad for it.</p><p>He doesn’t have to worry about Maul dying or being sold or used as breeding stock by the Sisters. He never has to worry about Maul being taken away in the middle of the night and returning years later a broken shell.</p><p>Still, his own satisfaction of murdering his brother makes him rush to his ‘fresher every single time to empty his stomach.</p><p>Maul thankfully doesn’t comment on his appearance after his nightmares, he only states to focus on his anger and let his rage strengthen him to avenge the fallen.</p><p>He doesn’t know if Maul knows about Feral, about their baby brother and his demise. He can’t bring himself to tell Maul that in order to avenge Feral he would have to kill himself for his brother to finally achieve the justice he deserved.</p><p>Would Maul even care that they had a younger brother? Or the fact that Savage had killed him? Surprisingly, he keeps his dirty little secret hidden away from Maul like it is poisonous, if it is going to kill anyone more than he would be it’s only other victim.</p><p>He would not kill another brother for the rest of his days.</p><p>The righteous Jedi would perish, and no one would dare challenge them, they would be safe with the Jedi wiped from the face of the galaxy.</p><p>Then maybe he would be able to face Feral again, after proving he isn’t a failure of a brother if he keeps one safe, maybe he could bring himself to craft a grave and give his proper respects.</p><p>Would Feral even accept his offer? His brother was never a vicious person, he was a builder, a crafter in their village, physically he was strong and skilled but he never revelled in the though of battle. The thought of others suffering was deeply upsetting to his brother.</p><p>Would he scorn him for what he has become? Savage has become a murderer on the whims of others, he is nothing but a tool, Maul only uses nicer words to describe their partnership.</p><p>Brother? Tool? What was the difference?</p><p>Sighing he scrubs his face roughly, he activates his datapad and scrolls through the mission reports from the various spies they have sequestered for their cause.</p><p>One mission report in particular catches his eye, while they are always getting mundane reports from the traffic in and out of the Jedi Temple, it is different this time. From his knowledge there are only Zabraks from Iridonia that travel in and out of the temple but what the report describes is nothing like the Zabraks that come from Dathomir’s sister planet.</p><p>According to the report his brain is currently dissecting, it states that the bounty hunter known as Jango Fett had reportedly escorted a Nightbrother into the temple only a few days ago. Unless another Nightbrother was able to escape their planet, the spy had been mistaken about what a Nightbrother actually looked like.</p><p>Savage isn’t going to leave mistake unpunished.</p><p>However, when he opens the attached images connected to the report, he almost shatters the datapad into several tiny pieces.</p><p>
  <em>Feral.</em>
</p><p>There is no denying it, the grainy mage of the Nightbrother walking into the Jedi Temple is his brother or at least a very good replication of him.</p><p>Either way he sends a message back to the spy in hopes that they haven’t been killed yet to keep an eye on the Zabrak’s movements very closely. Savage wants to know what connections he has with the Jedi and if there is a chance of swaying his loyalty to come join Maul and him instead.</p><p>Or if not immediately convinced slowly encouraged to come join them.</p><p>He will have his brother again, even if it means he has to claim Feral for himself, even if it kills him, death is not a deterrent to him if it means having his brother back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Invisible Clock</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm back!  I've been loving your comments and I'm glad you guys like the little crack pairing that I'm treating seriously over here, I have big plans for this fic so buckle up!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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  <strong>
    <em>NOON: Jango</em>
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</p><p>“I was wondering who Che kicked out of her Halls, now I know why she threw such a fit.” Jango says with a smirk as he leans up against one of the many pillars that line the halls looking at a very ruffled Fives.</p><p>Fives looks well scolded as he shuffles along the halls, he shakes his head mentally at the sight in something that feels very close to adoration. Now that he had gotten it through his thick skull that the clones were his responsibility,  after he had let the Kaminoans and the bottom-feeder bounty hunters abuse his clones for far too long he’s glad he took over the cloning procedures (albeit through force and blackmail, at least he can say he’s trying now) to watch over his replicas.</p><p>He can’t ever imagine where he would be if he hadn’t.</p><p>Probably dead, the Jedi would’ve killed him eventually with the way he had aligned himself with Dooku. He reminds himself to do something nice for Obi-Wan later as he’s reminded that his rival at the time (who he had deeply despised). Had vouched for him for countless days against the Council, as he sat rotting in a cell waiting for his fate to come and claim him.</p><p>If Obi-Wan hadn’t vouched for him, Dooku would’ve taken his son the moment he had the chance to turn him into another one of his disciples. The poor boy would’ve done plenty of regrettable things under the wrong direction (things that he’s done plenty of times over). Why he had aligned himself with Dooku he can’t answer anymore, the reasoning had been so clear back then and now he couldn’t even describe it.</p><p>The dark lord had pushed him to view his clones as nothing but cattle. Maybe the Sith made him indifferent to his creations so he could manipulate their genetics for darker plans. While he painfully knows it was his own choice to view them as unthinking cannon fodder. The knowledge sits painfully on his chest as he’s reminded over and over again of how his clones are hard-headed and resilient in their own individuality, even as they carry a bit of him in their actions.</p><p>Even if looking at them makes his heart squeeze a little painfully, he doesn’t regret their existence even if the reasoning makes him cringe away in shame. They have given him things he would’ve never imaged possible, like a half-Zabrak grandchild at the age of 42.</p><p>“In my defense, I made it up to Feral, we’re okay now and I’m going to help raise my… my...” The young man looks pale for a moment and Jango can’t help but give his clone a genuine smile to try and quell his nervousness.</p><p>“Your child..? Don’t worry ad’ika I felt the same thing when those long-neck freaks handed me Boba. Come on, let’s go the gardens. Master Che can’t  get mad at you for feeling up her patients if you’re with me.” Jango says with a laugh as he slings an arm around Fives’ shoulders as he leads him through the halls.</p><p>He can see how Fives’ blush darkens.</p><p>“Also, you need to shower soon this bar smell you’ve got going doesn’t exactly scream future parent, no wonder you drunkenly shouted at the council.” Jango says humorously as he raises his eyebrows and Fives ducks his head and groans.</p><p>“I’m never going to be able to show my face to them again.” He says miserably.</p><p>“Well you might have to, what can I say, banging and impregnating  the youngest brother of two Sith lords currently running the most vicious crime ring I’ve seen in a while probably wasn’t your brightest move, but now you’ll know the joys of fatherhood.” Jango says as they walk out into the open air of the gardens.</p><p>Jango is still amazed that they’ve been able to maintain such a beautiful a lush garden even as pollution streaks through the air.</p><p>“Jango, what am I going to do? I’m technically only about 12 at this point, I’m not ready to raise a child.” Fives says forlornly as he slumps onto a bench.</p><p>“You can call me buir, I’ve come to view all your brothers as my ad’ika even if it took me too long too, I’ll be here to help you figure things out.” Jango says softly as he pulls a bottle of expensive brandy from under his jacket.</p><p>“Really?” Fives asks hopefully</p><p>“Yes, really. I know it’s long overdue but I’m not gonna sit by and let the long-necks abuse the ik’aads still on Kamino any longer  nor am I going to abandon you and your older vod’e.” Jango says earnestly.</p><p>“Does that mean I can play 20 questions about parenthood? There’s been something on my mind ever since this all came crashing down on me.” Fives says nervously.</p><p>“Go ahead, you have my attention.” Jango says as he pries the cork out of the bottle between his teeth.</p><p>“This all doesn’t feel real to me, I was made for one purpose only and I feel like creating a child is a sham that goes against my existence and that it shouldn’t be possible. I don’t know what to expect and I feel like I may ruin things between me and Feral. I still barely know the guy and then he’ll leave and I’ll never see my child again. How do I know I won’t mess anything up?” Fives asks desperately and Jango pauses for a moment and lowers the bottle from his lips before handing it to Fives.</p><p>“Honestly, you don’t. You have heart and you’re too earnest for your own good kid. Feral definitely feels something for you, you just have to do your best to not hurt him. The kid has been through a lot, he was going to be a single parent while trying to attend university, he just needs your commitment and support. I don’t think you will treat him any worse than he already has been. You just need to trust him and trust yourself.” Jango says softly.</p><p>“You make it seem so easy.” Fives says tiredly.</p><p>“Hey, it took me years to get parenting and relationships right, I’m practically a master of having my ass handed to me for being emotionally constipated.” Jango jokes and Fives laughs as he leans his head on Jango’s shoulder, eyes dipping closed.</p><p>“Come on, let’s find you a bed, you can move into your new apartment in a few hours.” Jango says as he heaves Fives to his feet, the younger version of himself yawns tiredly and nods along and follows Jango out of the gardens.</p><p>“Thanks buir, for listening.” Fives mumbles softly.</p><p>“You’re welcome ad’ika, you’re a Fett. I’m going to watch out for my own.” Jango says earnestly.</p><p>It’s a promise he’ll take to his grave if he has too.</p><p>However, he knows deep down that he’s going to have to confess to his crimes eventually. That his own wrong doings will have him tossed in a cell, the chips in the brains of his clones weighs heavy on his conscience. The fact that he had planed with the Count to use his own flesh and blood as sleeper agents against the Jedi, to enact his revenge is deceitful and cowardly enough the he would voluntarily give up his own title as a Mandalorian. With the Count gone, Jango foolishly wants to believe that the threat of the chips have disappeared with him, but he knows different.</p><p>As if working against an invisible clock Jango feels as if he’s running out of time to warn the Jedi and clones about the imminent threat.  It also feels like the last few grains of sand are sliding through the hourglass to let him know that his time was almost about up in the fantasy life that he had created for himself. Someone like him didn’t deserve nice things and soon it would be all taken away.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>NOON: Ahsoka</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“Ahsoka? What are you doing here?” The Pantoran Senator asks after stumbling into Ahsoka outside the Senate apartments.</p><p>Ahsoka smiles brightly at her close friend, she didn’t get a lot of off time while traveling across the galaxy to help where 501<sup>st</sup> is called into duty for the continuous army wide operation. So she’s immediately over-joyed to come across her friend while on the public outreach mission the Temple assigned her.</p><p>“Riyo, I could ask the same thing I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.” Ahsoka replies as she tugs her friend into a tight embrace, they let go a few moments later.</p><p>Ahsoka has missed her friend dearly, she is grateful for her men and the time that they’ve spent together on late night food raids and long games of sabacc. They’ve come to see her as one of the vod’e and she loves them like her older brothers.</p><p>Even so, being the only teenage girl on a Star-destroyer, especially when the nat-born female officers are years or decades older than she is, makes it hard to relate or bond with any of them. Cleaning up after a war even with all the action, could be terribly lonely so she is glad she can come back and relax with Barriss and Riyo.</p><p>“It is an end-day Ahsoka, I was just about to run some errands that I didn’t get to do during the week. We’re still getting a lot of push back from the Trade Federation about ownership details on the bill giving clones Republic citizenships.” She says with a sigh and Ahsoka can see the heavy bags under her eyes.</p><p>“That bad?” Ahsoka asks with a wince, she can’t help but feel a flash of anger towards Nute Gunray and his slimy cohorts.</p><p>“It could be worse, I think Chancellor Amidala will be able to sign off on the bill within the next few days, we just have keep the pressure on those who still have loyalty to Palpatine.” She says with a sigh before going through her purse.</p><p>“Well when you get back, swing by apartment 200-09, the Temple is moving in two new residents as a safety measure and they’re around our age. They’re going to need friends now that they’re living here since they just came from Corellia.” Ahsoka explains and her friend nods with a smile.</p><p>“Of course, I’ll be back within the next two hours, so I’ll make sure to bring something by as a house-warming gift when I do come back.” She says as a valet brings her speeder around front.</p><p>“Thanks Riyo! You’re the best.” She shouts and the Pantoran woman waves as her speeder merges with the traffic lanes.</p><p>She stretches her arms above her head as she waits for Feral and Nel. Ahsoka realizes belatedly that she doesn’t really know what the pair look like. She also reasons with herself before she gets nervous, that someone who comes from the clan called the Nightbrothers would probably look pretty distinct. From what Obi-Wan and her Master had described as the Nightbrother clan, they have very unique attributes.</p><p>After several more minutes of waiting she becomes bored again and starts twiddling with her lightsabers. Her shoto had taken a blaster bolt to the hilt during the Citadel mission over a month ago, she has been too busy with operation Clean-up to really have a good look at her light-green lightsaber. It still works perfectly fine but she’d rather not have it shut off or fall apart on a mission.</p><p>That would probably send a few years back in becoming a Jedi Knight.</p><p>“Excuse me, are you Ahsoka Tano?” A soft voice asks and she jerks her head up to see a hooded figure with his face mostly enshrouded in shadow and a Pantoran woman looking a little paranoid at being stuck out in the open.</p><p>“Yes! You must be Feral and Nel, I’m here to get you settled into you new apartment and run through security.” She says and the pair look relieved.</p><p>“Were you able to make the trip over from the Temple okay?” She asks after a beat of silence as she leads them into the apartment lobby.</p><p>“Pretty okay, we bumped into a shady character but before we could get a good look at them, they dashed away. We’re used to big cities but Coruscant is just…” Nel says and she bites her lip, most likely a nervous habit she had never broken from childhood.</p><p>“Completely and utterly overwhelming? Don’t worry I’ve lived here for most of my life and Coruscant still seems big to me.” Ahsoka says reassuringly and the pair let out a breath they were holding before relaxing a little more.</p><p>Feral takes his hood off when they enter the lift and Ahsoka is momentarily left speechless at how pretty the Nightbrother is. He notices her starring and instantly ducks his head to avoid her eyes, she feels guilty for making the Zabrak feel uncomfortable.</p><p>“Sorry, I’ve never seen a Nightbrother and your facial markings are really something I’ve never seen before, I like them a lot.” She admits with a smile and Feral’s yellow skin darkens several shades to a deep mustard colour as he blushes at her praise.</p><p>“Some of them I was born with but in our village when we come of age, we get tattooed with markings that match our ancestors after we’ve completed our trials depending on what characteristics shine through.” Feral explains shyly.</p><p>“I also thought that you just had your eyelids tattooed, I also thought for a week that you were brown with yellow tattoos instead of yellow with brown tattoos, don’t ask why I apparently don’t know colours.” Nel jokes which earns a laugh out of Feral and Ahsoka likes the teal haired Pantoran a little more each second.</p><p>She’s also glad for once that she isn’t the shortest one in the group. Feral towers over her by several inches, if she had to guess he’s a little taller than a clone. While Nel comes up to about chin height on herself.</p><p>“You guys are going to like it here, the university is about a 20 minute walk away and a 5 min trip on a speeder bike. Fives is going to move his stuff into here in a few days. There are few things he has to wrap up before switching roles to be the Chancellor’s bodyguard, he’ll be able to drop you off at campus every morning once he does start working.” Ahsoka says as they step out of the lift.</p><p>“We really appreciate everything the Jedi are doing for us.” Feral says softly and Ahsoka smiles back at him before she types the code into the panel of the door. It slides open obediently to reveal the large apartment.</p><p>“Oh wow, this place could probably fit two of our old apartments no problem.” Nel says as she walks in and tosses her bags onto the couches in the lounge.</p><p>“There’s three bedrooms each with their own ‘freshers, fully stocked kitchen and the lounge area with a holoscreen.” Ahsoka says as she lists off the apartment’s amenities.</p><p>Once Padmé had heard of the situation she hadn’t wasted anytime in helping the Jedi secure a place for Feral and Nel to stay.</p><p>Feral walks over to bask in the view that the apartment gave, being on the 200<sup>th</sup> floor it allows a sweeping view of the Senate district, nothing but towers and sky for all the eye could see.</p><p>Then as she’s admiring the bright blue sky, she notices that the glass doors leading to the apartment’s buildings are slightly ajar and she instantly snaps into a fighting stance. Nel and Feral sense her change of demeanor and she silently orders them to come closer to her.</p><p>“So what do you guys think of the place?” She asks, trying to feign ignorance to whoever had broken into the apartment.</p><p>“It’s really nice, though I may have repaint my room into something less red.” Nel says as she inches closer to Ahsoka.</p><p>“I think a soft green would be a nice touch to change things up.” Feral adds as he tries not to look panicked as he quickly walks across the lounge.</p><p>The snap and sizzle of an electrified fence springs Ahsoka into actions and she rips the net to shred with her green blades, standing defensively in front of the fallen Nightbrother who she had shoved to the floor to save him from the sprung trap .</p><p>“Show yourself! Let it be known that your trespassing on Republic property and attacking citizens under Jedi protection.” She barks into the dark rooms.</p><p>She quickly types out a code to her Master and Rex about their security breach and she hopes they get here sooner rather than later. However, she’s confident in her own abilities to take down whoever had been waiting in the darkness.</p><p>“Ssssso I wassss right, there isssss a Nightbrother on Coursssscant. You’ll fetch a high price on the sssslave market boy.” A Trandoshan hisses as she emerges from the darkness of one of the bedrooms.</p><p>Ahsoka doesn’t recognize her green and blue scales but any hunter means a fight when they’re on the hunt for exotic species to sell off.</p><p>“Nel! Take Feral and run, my Master and Captain Rex should be here at any moment. They’ll keep you safe.” Ahsoka shouts as the Trandoshan lunges at her, she can see how the Pantoran woman hesitates, caught between wanting to leave and wanting to stay and help.</p><p>“Go! I’ll be fine!” Ahsoka shouts again, pushing her to grab Feral and they run out the front door and out of sight. The Trandoshan growls and gives chase but Ahsoka grips her tail hard and uses the force to throw her into a wall.</p><p>“I don’t think so.” Ashoka hisses and the hunter gives her a predatory grin as she unsheathes her own vibrosword, igniting its plasma lining.</p><p><em>Not exactly the welcome home party they were expecting</em> Ahsoka thinks sarcastically.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>buir - means parent<br/>ik'aad - means child or baby</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. What were You Thinking?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Slight mention of slavery again at the beginning and canonical violence</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>AFTERNOON: Feral</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Nel tugs Feral down the halls of the Senate apartments away from their new home that they barely had a second to move into before someone had caught wind that a Nightbrother was on Coruscant. Feral knows that people remembered how much Ire cost when he was first sold several year earlier. People remembered how much the Nightsister made from him. It obviously made a statement with how bounty hunters tried to invade Dathomir to try and steal a brother away from the village.</p><p>Yet many people seemed to forget that they were all trained warriors, all their life they are trained to be the best, to be the strongest. The fact that they could carry children seemed to negate that fact all together and it angers Feral knowing that he’s seen as an easy target because of it. Like someone who needed to be hidden away and protected. He knows Ahsoka wouldn’t be able to take on that bounty hunter all by herself and leave without injury, he won’t let anyone get hurt on his account anymore, not after Savage.</p><p>He had promised to himself as he scrubbed his own blood off his skin, that he would never be so weak that somebody else would have to make a sacrifice so that he could continue on. No one, he certainly isn’t going to break the promise to himself now only because the situation has changed. He can hear Savage’s voice ring in his head scolding him for thinking so recklessly, it’s not solely his life on the line anymore.</p><p>Still he has to do something, if the bounty hunter escapes, she would only be back with more friends, he has to do something to help the young Jedi. She is painfully young to have bounty hunters thrown at her, even when she is not the target. Whoever broke into the apartment wouldn’t be merciful to her.</p><p>The thought of the young Togruta’s body broken and bloody on the floor spurs him into action.</p><p>Jedi or not, she would need help against a Trandoshan that much bigger than her.</p><p>He digs his heels into the carpet and almost throws Nel off her feet in the process of stopping so suddenly. She grunts at him in confusion, her expression blatantly questions his sanity and he puts his hands of her shoulders.</p><p>“Nel, I need you to run and grab one of the Jedi we saw earlier, hell even Jango would be helpful right now.” He says and she instantly looks suspicious, she widens and then narrows her eyes at him.</p><p>“Where the fuck are you going then?” Nel demands as she grips his wrists tightly.</p><p>“To fight, I know I may not look it but I was going to be the chief of my village with my brother back home. Nel I was born into and lived a warrior’s life. I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of in the name of being a warrior but I know I can help Ahsoka fend off that bounty hunter. I can’t let anyone else be hurt defending me, so I’m going to do the only thing I know I can.” Feral says and he can see the resignation in her eyes, she nods her head slowly.</p><p>“Go, I’ll be fine. Find someone who can help! They’re probably already on their way!” Feral shouts as he turns and runs back to the apartment.</p><p>He bursts through the open door to see how the Trandoshan has her tail wrapped around Ahsoka’s neck, before she’s thrown into the couch. Her lightsabers are knocked out of her hands and they go skittering across the room.</p><p>He growls and the bounty hunter notices his entrance, he runs towards the kitchen to grab the first knife he sees. She jumps onto the kitchen island trying to pin him into a corner as Ahsoka coughs and gasps for breath behind them.</p><p>Faster than she can react he stabs the knife into her boot and she howls in pain, he feels the sickening sounds of metal cleaving through meet and he tackles her off the island. They land with a heavy thud and they wrestle for the upper hand. The bounty hunter elbows him hard in the face and he feels a torrent of blood gush out of his nose but he still doesn’t let go of her throat.  He squeezes harder trying force her into unconsciousness, she growls and claws at his neck and chest.</p><p>On the next tumble she forces his hands off her neck and smashes his head face down into the stone floor. His head spins as his horns sing in agony, he tries to buck her off but she outweighs him by several kilos and the pain makes him woozy.</p><p>“Feral!” Ahsoka shouts and the bounty hunter is instantly off him and he can breathe again, he flips over quickly jumps back to stand by Ahsoka who wields her two green lightsabers again.</p><p>The Trandoshan flicks her eyes between the both of them and growls softly. She suddenly flips and cracks her tail across Feral’s face making stumble slightly, he quickly recovers and as the bounty hunter has her back turned he throws the abandoned knife, it impales her through the chest. She chokes on an inhale and crumples to the ground as she clutches her bleeding chest.</p><p>She stares at the murderously before she slides her eyes to lock with Feral’s, he feels the room becomes several degrees cooler.</p><p>“Feral, your brothersssss are going to be ssssssso happy to know where you are oncccccce I sssssend my report back.” She says with smirk before making a mad dash for the balcony windows.</p><p>Ahsoka reacts before he evenly numbly registers her words as the young Togruta holds the Trandoshan mid run, struggling to hold her against her trashing.</p><p>“Ahsoka!” A man shouts behind them as a tall, lean man bursts in with the blonde captain and Fives behind, him all looking furious. The blonde clone that Feral remembers as Rex shoots several stun bolts at the Trandoshan, she falls limply to the ground in unconsciousness and they all breath a sigh of relief.</p><p>Anakin motions for Rex to follow and the captain whips out a pair of heavy-duty binders and Feral lets himself collapse on the couch as the pain of a chipped horn sends bolts of agony into his skull.</p><p>Fives leans over him and his expression is absolutely thunderous as he holds a medpack.</p><p>Anakin and Rex seem to have a silently conversation between each other, they try their best to seem completely absorbed in stripping the bounty hunter of all her weapons. While Ahsoka inspects each room for any other bounty hunters.</p><p>There’s a very obvious and tense silence in the room and it makes Feral want to squirm in his spot on the couch but his pride forbids him. He comes to realize that Fives’ anger is directed at him as well as the bounty hunter, which makes his puff up in indignation.</p><p>He is a warrior from the feared Nightbrother clan, he isn’t some weakling in distress.</p><p>Their silent standoff only makes Feral angrier as the seconds pass by.</p><p>“Ahsoka, let’s meet with Nel in the lobby, we need to bring this bounty hunter in for questioning. I also want you to get checked over by Kix.” Anakin says softly and it looks like she might protest but Feral can see her look over at him and Fives and quickly nod.</p><p>The trio comically speed run out of the apartment and the door slams behind them leaving the apartment in a deafening silence.</p><p>“So, are you going to tell me what’s got you so angry or are you just going to keep glaring at the bacta patches?” Feral says dryly as he keeps his eyes glued to Fives’ face, he watches it as his self control crumples and his face morphs into one of anger.</p><p>
  <strong>FIVES</strong>
</p><p>He’s furious and he guesses it shows as much on his face, he’s always had a bad sabacc face when he tried to hide what he hand in his hand. He’s always been more expressive than the usual clone. Rex probably picked him for ARC training for his stink eye and pout more than anything (even if he knows that’s not true, it still makes him laugh) but he isn’t laughing now.</p><p>“I’m furious at you for putting yourself and our baby at risk like that, what were you thinking going to fight a bounty hunter unarmed like that? Now you’re hurt.” Fives says as he brushes liquid bacta over the rug-burns and cuts on Feral’s face.</p><p>“What was I supposed to do? That bounty hunter would’ve killed Ahsoka and then she would’ve eventually come after me and Nel. Was I supposed to just lay down and wait for someone to come save me?” Feral demands as he slaps Fives’ hand away from his chipped horns.</p><p>“You should’ve found someone to help you fight.” Fives says through gritted teeth.</p><p>“Ahsoka could’ve been killed by the time I found anyone.” Feral argues back.</p><p>“You shouldn’t underestimate her, she’s a Jedi that’s taken down far stronger opponents than a single bounty hunter, it’s not just you at risk when you run into fights.” Fives says as he looks down at Feral’s still flat stomach.</p><p>“Oh so that’s it then? I’m just a helpless brood mother to you now that I’m carrying your kid? Yesterday you said <em>you didn’t even want the baby</em>.” Feral snaps back and Fives knows he’s said the wrong thing and has actually made the Zabrak angry.</p><p>“That’s not what I meant.” Fives snaps back frustratedly, Feral has his hands squeezing Fives’ hips in pulsing increments, he doesn’t doubt for a second that the Zabrak could break the bone under his delicate skin in a heartbeat.</p><p>It was a bad day to decide to forego wearing his armor for a simple tunic and pants, if the Zabrak is going to attack him out of anger he wouldn’t leave unscathed.</p><p>“Then what do you mean?” Feral asks tightly before he kicks out Fives’ feet and uses the strength he has never shown before to flip them and plant the clone firmly on the couch.</p><p>He pins Fives down with his unwavering hands on his shoulders and the Zabrak tangles their legs together, keeping Fives perfectly immobile no matter how much he wiggles or bucks.</p><p>“It would do you well to remember that I am a Nightbrother, we are a fierce warrior tribe, even if I have been ousted from my ranks and even though I pregnant with your child I am still capable of fighting and protecting our child, I wouldn’t do anything that put our baby at risk, I need you to trust me.” Feral says earnestly</p><p>Fives sighs deeply and nods his head, eyes scrunched in shame. He never knew how bad he was at relationships until he realizes that he’s insulted the guy he’s supposed to be raising a child with, on probably increasing level of offensiveness.</p><p>“I’m sorry…Again, I’m really bad at this, I’ve probably insulted you at least 10 times now.” Fives says miserably.</p><p>Which gets a laugh chuckle out of Feral which makes Fives feel a little better.</p><p>“I forgive you, I’m still made but I knew this wasn’t going to be easy for either of us. You were only just recognized as a sentient species recently, I highly doubt you were taught how to do anything outside of war tactics.” Feral as he rests his weight in between Fives’ thighs.</p><p>He desperately tries to ignore how the blood rushes to his face as his cock starts to get interested.</p><p>Hopefully it wouldn’t freak Feral out too much since they were just having a pretty intense fight but Echo did always say he got off from punishment. He can’t even deny it with the way his dick is starting to chub up with a heavily muscled Zabrak between his legs baring his fangs in a smirk. Fives doesn’t even try to control his body, he’ll apologise in approximately 2.5 seconds once he knows Feral will be able to feel his erection.</p><p>“Yeah I pretty much know close to nothing about relationships other than how to leave the bed of a clingy hookup without waking them up.” Fives says between his teeth as Feral shifts against him again with a grin, Fives would be suspicious if it didn’t feel so good.</p><p>“Hmmmm I thought so but do you want to leave the flowery apologies and take this to the bed instead?” Feral asks.</p><p>“I thought you were angry at me?” Fives asks with a whimper as Feral rolls his hips again.</p><p>“I still am, a little bit but I still want to fuck you into the closest mattress.” Feral whispers huskily, ghosting hot air over the shell of his ear and biting down on his earlobe, just shy of breaking the skin.</p><p>“Please.” Fives groans as he squirms trying to motivate Feral into moving them to the closest bedroom.</p><p>The Nightbrother easily lifts them off the couch and being 6 feet tall and 190 pounds of genetically modified muscle, Fives isn’t exactly light. It would be a lie to say the show of strength doesn’t immediately go to his dick and he wraps his legs around Feral’s hips.</p><p>Several seconds later Feral throws Fives on an unnecessarily soft mattress and wastes no time in tugging off his own shirt and undoing the belt on Fives’ pants. Tugging them down to reveal the tented material of his briefs.</p><p>The Nightbrother smirks and runs a thumb down the length of his aching cock and Fives groans as he slides the second layer of fabric down his hips. He seems to pause to admire how Fives looks stretched out and achingly hard on the bed. As much as he wants to rip his sweaty shirt off, he lets Feral take his time and whines slightly when he only pushes the shirt up under his arms rather than rip it off.</p><p>Being partially clothed and aching to be fucked feels much more scandalous than if he were completely naked, he knows it has something to do with the lustful look Feral is pinning him with. The Nightbrother has only undone the top of his own pants but his shirt has long since been discarded, Fives admires the intricate pattern of his tattoos as he runs a hand along them.</p><p>“Lube?” Feral asks and Fives feels himself blush, he points to his pants on the floor and Feral raises and eye-ridge at him.</p><p>“Do you always carry lube around with you?” Feral asks and Fives mumbles something softly that he knows the Nightbrother can’t hear.</p><p>“What was that?” He asks again as he squirts lube onto his fingers and teases over Fives’ hole with promise after roughly slapping his thighs apart.</p><p>“Not always…I just wanted to ensure every surface in the apart was stable, you never know.” Fives mumbles and his faces feels like it’s on fire, he groans as Feral slowly pushes one finger into him.</p><p>“Hmmm a man who come prepared I like that.” Feral says as he runs his tongue over Fives’ shaft making him squirm on the finger impaling and rubbing teasingly over his prostate.</p><p>The onslaught seems to go on forever.</p><p>“You…I’m not going to last much longer if you keep this up.’ Fives says with a wheeze as Feral impales him with another finger and firmly rubs at that spot deep within him making his sentence end in a shout as he tries to buck his hips more into Feral’ mouth.</p><p>“You feel about ready, what do you think?” He teases and Fives can only nod and pant, the Nightbrother stands and lines his own cock up with his hole and slowly pushes in.</p><p>Fives had underestimated how long and thick Feral’s cock is and he whines as his body accommodates the thick length slowly.</p><p>“If I knew you were packing, I would’ve let you fuck me that first night.” Fives says shakily as Feral bottoms out with his hips pressed firmly against his ass.</p><p>“It might’ve helped with how you tight you are. Should I call you ARC trooper tightass now?” Feral says as he rolls his hips, Fives’ breath stutters out of his chest as he clutches at the sheets bellow him.</p><p>“Captain tightass is reserved for Rex.” Fives moans as Feral lifts his legs to put them over his shoulders, he looms over Fives with his hands on either side of his head, practically folding him in half and allowing him to fuck so much deeper into his body.</p><p>Feral sets out a punishing pace and it’s only a few strokes in that he finds Fives’ prostate again and jabs at it relentlessly causing him to spasms and cry out. Clenching helplessly on Feral’s cock as he makes good on his promise of fucking him into the mattress.</p><p>Feral groans brokenly as Fives ripples around him and he smirks knowing he isn’t the only reduced to babbling incoherently.</p><p>“I could fuck you all day like this, you feel so good wrapped around me, could you handle it? I know you have engineered stamina, I could just have you tied down and spread out for me and I could just fuck you, slide into without any prep because you would already be so loose for me all day. Maybe I would let you come but only if you were good.” Feral pants as he bites at Five’s neck and he whimpers, his body clenching down at the image.</p><p>Between Feral’s words and how his cock stretches him out and hits his prostate Fives comes with a chocked whimper. He sinks his teeth into his bottom lip, he rides the waves of pleasure as his body squeezes Feral making him feel bigger as he fucks Fives through his orgasm.</p><p>“Can you keep going?” Feral asks as he stops his thrusting, he’s still hard and Fives trembles from the aftershocks and still having a hard cock press into him.</p><p>“Yeah...” He whimpers and Feral continuous to fuck into him with long hard strokes.</p><p>Fives almost misses when he peaks and moans with his own release, he can feel how his release seeps back out, squeezing around where their bodies are joined and he feels himself blush harder. </p><p>Feral kisses him deeply and he moans happily into the kiss, he grunts softly as Feral pulls out to lay next to him.</p><p>“Can you stay?” Feral asks softly as they lay together panting and coming down from their highs.</p><p>“Yeah, the Captain will call if he needs me. I technically live here now so I’m right where I’m supposed to be.” Fives says with a smirk.</p><p>“Good. I’m the big spoon though.” Feral says and Fives chuckles and leans in to kiss him deeply.</p><p>He would be better for the both of them, <em>he has to be.</em></p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Scheming and Eye-Fucking a Terrorist</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>More Savage! Also a new player! More of the 501st boys will be added next chapter, I'm pretty sure I'm done introducing the Ocs in this story that have more major parts but maybe more will come! </p><p>I'm glad you guys are liking the story so far, this was just a fun little idea I had and I thought it would get like 4 likes haha, so thanks for all the love! &lt;3</p><p>Also a little warning for: reproductive coercion and forced pregnancy mention, also a little normalized predigest</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong> <em>LATE NIGHT: Savage</em> </strong>
</p><p>“Can I help you?” Savage growls as a member of Death Watch hovers at the door of the medical tent. The now repaired medical droid, is making the final adjustments to his new arm that it didn’t quite finish when he was tearing everything insight apart.</p><p>“Your communicator has been beeping, it's been keeping us up. Deal with it.” The female Mandalorian says as she throws it at his chest. Savage pins her with a glare as it bounces off his armor and lands in his lap, she scoffs and whips the tent-flaps closed to leave in a way far too dramatic for the situation.</p><p>He's never understood the need for dramatics that humans had. Sure, Maul is plenty dramatic but Savage reasons that being cut in half and surviving off of trash and hatred for 10 years, could possibly reasons his brother seemed obsessed with grand theatrics when drawing out the torment of others.</p><p>Especially Kenobi’s. The Jedi that seems to occupy most Maul’s thoughts will eventually show himself again, after the betrayal of the Ohnaka Pirates and the murder of the female Jedi by his hand, is sure to bring more Jedi with Kenobi leading the barrage. It is only a matter of time until they do come.</p><p>Until then, they wait and lick their wounds and take advantage of the horribly delusional terrorists that believe they are the ones using their fierce new Zabrak warriors, rather than he and Maul using them.</p><p>With Maul now intrigued by Pre Vizsla, he would get a much-needed reprieve from his brother’s ranting and raving about his hatred of Kenobi. Whoever had taught Maul the ways of the darkside had truly ruined him. While he has fully dedicated himself as his brother’s apprentice, he mostly tunes out whatever Maul says when he started the sentence with Kenobi.</p><p>If he didn’t know any better, he would think that there is some level of desire in his obsession of Kenobi. Maybe, there is the desire to claim something that would fight and challenge him at every step until he could dominate them completely. Is there sexual desire written deep within his words? Savage isn’t sure, in fact he isn’t sure if Mother Talzin had perfectly reconstructed his lower half to match his previous organic half to act on any sexual desires.</p><p>He isn’t going to ask Maul anytime soon, if he has a cybernetic cock or not, he wouldn’t like the answer either way. However, whatever Maul does feel, someone named Saxon seems to be interesting enough to hold his attention when he isn’t plotting and eye-fucking the Death Watch leader.</p><p>He is, for the most part left alone. Treated like an untameable muscled monster that isn’t capable of protruding more than simple grunts. Even so, he’s seen the ways a few members look at him as he walks by, the smell of sexual desire hangs so heavily in the air with their appreciative stares he can basically taste it.</p><p>The idea of brining a Death Watch member into bed is mildly tempting.</p><p>He tosses those ideas and thoughts away with a shake of his head as he set the transmitter on his thigh and presses the green flashing button. Someone who knew this specific serial number needed to contact him, he only gave it people he could count on one hand.</p><p>Tiamera pops up, she looks worse for wear, her green and blue scales look half singed off. By the looks of it there was a fight and she got in too deep. Her cockiness is the reason she owes him so many favours but he keeps her around because she’s good at what she does. Spying, not fighting, even with the many times that Savage reminds her that he keeps her around as a spy, she still got herself into dirty brawls.</p><p>“<em>Savage, you didn’t pick up when I called several days ago so hopefully you’re still alive to hear this. I confronted the Jedi escorting the Nightbrother I spotted last week. His description matches perfectly, it can’t be anyone but your brother…. There’s also something else, I’m not exactly an expert on Zabrak physiology but he seemed to have 3 heartbeats, a softer and stronger one. I thought you should know since I found it so strange. Tiamera out.”</em> The Trandoshan says before the hologram fizzles out.</p><p>Savage stares dumbly at the open space for several minutes as his mind frantically runs in circles trying to catchup with what information he was just told.</p><p>Three heart beats, that isn’t possible…unless…unless his brother is pregnant. But all the Nightsisters were dead, meaning that someone else had impregnated his brother and Feral is compatible with other species outside of Dathomir. Which begged the question why had he left the planet to begin with? How was he able to escape?</p><p>Too many questions and not enough answers, all he does know is the sharp wave of anger and possessiveness at the thought of some skug putting his hands on his brother and tainting him. Forcing him to carry their unworthy child, the possessiveness burns through his blood sharply.</p><p>He was supposed to protect Feral, he had made himself a servant to the Witch in order to protect him. Yet, somehow, something had happened behind his back and <em>he wasn’t there to stop it</em>. He wouldn’t put it past his Mother to use his younger brother, but he never thought she would use him like this.</p><p>His stomach turns with nausea at the image of Feral pinned down to the alter and bred with another Nightbrother or off world champion. How Feral wouldn’t be able to do anything other than accept the child of another, as was his duty towards the Nightsisters. Even so,  they were all dead so if that did happen than his poor brother is carrying the baby of another that he never wanted, for a role he no longer needs to fulfil. Floating through space where no one would truly understand the horrors of what  being a Nightbrother entails.</p><p>Mother Talzin hadn’t even bothered to mention that she had revived Feral for her alternative uses. When he had returned to her with a ruined Maul in tow like a good little Nightbrother, like the good servant he is, she fed him lies that he obligingly ate and never questioned.</p><p>He had barely held back from his urge the crush the dead Nightsisters under his feet, to seek the revenge against them that he wanted so badly that his bones ached.</p><p>However, he had restrained himself, for the first time in months of endless slaughter of those that probably hadn’t even deserved it, (he had slaughtered them nonetheless at the end of the day.) Feral certainly hadn’t warranted it, but he had still killed him and many others by the command of others. Or his rage had gotten the better of him and he killed for the thrill, for the challenge because he could. The anger and hate encouraged him, he fed his own dark emotions with each kill and with each kill he became stronger.</p><p>Feral would be disgusted with him, his brother probably wouldn’t even recognize him…but still a deep part of him yearned for his brother again. To just see him alive, even if he wanted nothing to do with him. Another darker part of him wants to possess his brother, to rip him away from the Jedi and hide him away for only him to see. To raise his child into a strong warrior so the child can stand at his side as they slowly conquered each vulnerable part of the galaxy.</p><p>He shoves those thoughts down, his brother was never his to take. To protect maybe, but he had failed spectacularly at his only role. He still loves his brother, he can love from afar because he knows it’s for the best.</p><p>Maul on the other hand…He would keep Feral secret for now. Maul didn’t have brothers, Maul has tools and apprentices, Savage knows the red and black Zabrak cares for him. Even loves him in an odd twisted way, but he knows for certain that Maul cannot think of anyone in a position equal to him, everyone is inferior to him.</p><p>“You have a brother…. Very interesting, does Maul know?” Savage almost flinches at the smarmy tone. He scowls and curses himself for his wandering thoughts being such a distraction that he couldn’t even focus on his surroundings, he knows by now any lapse in attention would mean certain death.</p><p>“No and let me make myself clear when I say this Mandalorian. It will remain a secret until I say otherwise.” Savage says with a growl as he straightens to his full height, he knows in the dim of the tent his eyes glow a beastly yellow.</p><p>However, Vizsla doesn’t cower or step back as Savage stomps towards him, he doesn’t even lose the infuriating smirk that just seems to be his resting face. He looms over the bald man that has fooled himself and his following into believing he is some kind of martyr of his people long turned upon.</p><p>It is almost laughable if it didn’t help Maul’s cause so much.</p><p>“Very well Sith apprentice, I will keep this information to myself for now, but you must understand the weight of this secret has a price.” Pre Vizsla says in mock understanding, it cracks the self control that Savage precariously keeps.</p><p>He grips the man with unwavering hands around his neck, crushing his windpipe to make him struggle and gasp for air, not enough pressure to kill him but enough for him to fear or his life.</p><p>“Listen very carefully because I will only say this once, it would be very unfortunate for you to underestimate me. I am not the mindless beast you and your fellow Death Watch seem to believe. I chose to let you live, so whatever I owe you is paid back with every breath you take. Are we understood?” Savage growls as he shakes Vizsla back and forth a few feet above the ground.</p><p>He only releases the man when he makes a choking noise that sounds something like an agreement. The man stumbles and grips his throat as he gasps and cough for air, Savage lets himself smirk at the ring of bruising that’s slowly forming.</p><p>Pre Vizsla glares up at him and Savage makes sure his expression is a dull as possible as the man shoots him a poisonous glare and then stalks off, probably to scheme and eye fuck Maul so more. Savage doesn’t trust him for a second, the man would use the secret of Feral against him the first chance he gets.</p><p>
  <strong>EARLY EVENING: <em>Feral</em></strong>
</p><p>“Don’t you have to count for resistance while in hyperspace?” Dadan asks as he looks over from his textbook to Feral in confusion.</p><p>“There’s no resistance in space, there’s no air or gravity. Hyperspace is travel  faster than the speed of light, there would only be resistance if a planet or star had an exceptionally strong gravitational pull and the ship got too close during travel. I’ve never heard of a planet pulling ships out of hyperspace.” Feral responds as he looks through his textbook.</p><p>Classes had started a few days ago and Feral adores the normalcy and routine of it, after everything that had happened over the past two weeks. His classes are challenging but he finds them all enjoyable, he knows he may not think so when exams come but he takes the time to enjoy the material now.</p><p>It is everything he hoped it would be. Everything he dreamed of maybe experiencing as a small child still stuck on Dathomir.</p><p>A classmate had asked if he could tutor him after their class together and Feral had agreed, all of Nel’s classes are in buildings far across campus from Feral’s. There are no medical science buildings close to any engineering buildings. It made the first few days very lonely, many of his classes were massive and a mix of hundreds of species but he still feels a slight divide. People see his tattoos and horns and fear him, the rumours of his brothers and their carnage even reaching students at a university on a planet that has never seen war. He understands it, it still stings but he knows the crime of being a brother to two Sith lords even if nobody knew, would still follow him around.</p><p>Nobody else other than the Jedi and Nel would know as long as he lived.</p><p>Dadan is a Kage with striking green eyes and is the first person to ever talk to Feral, inquisitive and strikingly smart with a mix of dry humour makes Feral warm up to him quickly. He had introduced Feral to his other friends and he integrated with his friend group easily enough.</p><p>He is thankful for the man, he makes life a little less lonely when Nel is busy with her own studies and making friends out of her own classmates.</p><p>Dadan groans and flops onto his textbook, they’ve been in the library for several hours now. The Coruscant sun is lowering in the sky as it starts to dip below the horizon, streaking the sky with vibrant orange streaks that are chased by the encroaching black of the night sky.</p><p>Fives had messaged him an hour ago saying that he would be in the area if he wanted a pick up from campus, Feral had replied with fervent yes and told him to swing by the front of the library. He looks at the time and realizes that Fives would be showing up at any minute.</p><p>“Let’s call it a day. I’m starving.” Feral says with a yawn and stretch as he shuts down his tablet and shoves it into his bag.</p><p>“You wanna get a bite to eat?” Dadan asks as he packs up his own stuff.</p><p>“Actually my roommate is cooking tonight, my boyfriend….should be here soon to pick me up.” Feral says.</p><p>“Boyfriend? You sure about that, it sounds like you’re asking a question.” Dadan says with a smirk and Feral scoffs, there’s something a little contrite about his expression and Feral doesn’t know why.</p><p>“Our relationship is pretty new, I guess we still have a lot to talk about.” Feral says with a nervous chuckle and Dadan shrugs as he slides his bag over his shoulder.</p><p>The rest of the walk to the courtyard outside the library is quiet and it makes Feral nervous, he perks up a little bit when he sees a familiar silhouette in the distance. Fives is leaning against a new black and blue speeder bike as he waits in one of the parking lanes.  He’s wearing a new leather jacket with a blue patch on the arm, he looks especially good in it as Feral eyes him.</p><p>When Fives notices them walk out and towards him, he narrows his eyes slightly when he spots the sulking Kage but the expression disappears after a second when they get closer. Feral shakes it off, Fives was bred and raised as a soldier, it is natural for him to be wary of unknown things and people until they proved to be harmless.</p><p>“Hey, before you go… If that clone, you’re <em>dating</em> over there ever gives you any trouble or bores you, my door is always open.” He says with a slight downturn of his mouth.</p><p>“What’s that supposed to mean?” Feral asks somewhat taken aback and he raises his eye ridges in surprise.</p><p>“You <em>know</em>, he’s a <em>clone</em>. They’re copies of a <em>violent bounty hunter</em>, they’re not even <em>their own person</em>. I’m just saying <em>you could do a lot better</em>.” Dadan says pointedly.</p><p>Feral stops mid stride and scowls at his classmate, he makes sure to show his sharp fangs with his next sentence.</p><p>“Goodbye Dadan, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t <em>insult my boyfriend and his brothers</em>.” Feral snaps as he stomps away from the scowling man, justifiably angry.</p><p>Fives is only a few meters away and he looks between Dadan and Feral with a confused expression.</p><p>“Hey is everything-?” He starts to ask but Feral grabs his jacket and turns him just slightly so Dadan can see how Feral kisses him deeply.</p><p>Fives makes a surprised noise, then after a moment melts into the kiss with a content hum, Feral flicks his eyes over to glare slightly at Dadan’s retreating back.</p><p>Fives breaks the kiss but still keeps his hands of Feral’s hips. There’s a slight widening of his bones now that he’s about a month and a half into his pregnancy but the baby hasn’t grown big enough to show that he’s actually pregnant.</p><p>“Everything okay? I’m not complaining, but…” Fives asks, his eyes searching Feral’s expression.</p><p>“I’m fine, my classmate just said some dumbass stuff about clones. I also just missed you today, we’ve both been busy.” Feral says as he brushes past Fives to hop on the new bike.</p><p>“People certainly have their opinions about us, even if we did, you know die, so they could stay out of the war.” Fives mutters as he rolls his eyes. “Try to ignore him.” He adds.</p><p>“I’m still going to lay him flat if he keeps talking shit.” Feral says and Fives laughs as he starts up the bike.</p><p>“Oh, I know you will, now let’s get home, me and Nel have been making that stew you like, it should be ready by the time we get back.” Fives comments and Feral can feel how Fives’ stomach growls under his fingertips.</p><p>“You’re too good to me.” Feral says and hugs him tighter as they speed through the darkening sky.</p><p>“Well I have to make up for lost time.” Fives says and Feral hums and relaxes at the way the still somewhat warm air caresses his face and how Fives feels warm and solid against his chest as he enjoys the ride.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Depends on How Much He Loves You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Update!!! I really liked this chapter, this story in general is really fun to write for me. Small warning for a threat of sexual violence resulting in bodily harm but nothing too graphic or long, but just so you know!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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    <em>MIDNIGHT: Quinlan</em>
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</p><p>Quinlan frowns down at Cody’s very broken hand, it’s mangled and purple and becoming, very, very swollen. Is he mad? No, he would’ve punched Jango Fett as well if he was Cody, he still might. Even if he is all lovey-dovey with Obi-Wan and a good father figure to Boba. Hearing what the man just admitted makes him want to take a lightsaber to his armour and see if beskar really does hold up against anything.</p><p>“If you’re going to lecture me, you’re going to have to do it when you’ve gotten back to fucking me because now isn’t the right time.” Cody seethes as he sits like a good soldier on Quinlan’s desk in his Temple bedroom.</p><p>While he isn’t a permanent resident at the Temple , it’s still nice to have a room to stay in so he doesn’t have to share the futon with Boba.</p><p>The little biter kicks in his sleep, he kicks hard too.</p><p>He wishes Skywalker and his Captain hadn’t barge into his rooms while he had handfuls of the Commander’s ass while flat on his back in his bed. It’s not like they didn’t have any room to judge, Skywalker’s lips looked like they had just been wrapped around the Captain’s cock only a few minutes ago.</p><p>Still it wasn’t a great feeling to his childhood friends’ padawan, a boy Obi-Wan had practically raised as his own son. See him harder than concrete grinding against the 212<sup>th</sup> Marshal Commander like a dog in a rut.</p><p>He does have a reputation to keep up, how is he supposed to seduce enemy secrets out of people if everyone knows he’s so enamoured with the Marshal Commander.</p><p>It only made matters worse that other Jedi and their clone counterparts were also called to the late night emergency meeting. Which meant he had to see the long scratch marks on Bly’s back and the lustful looks Aayla kept shooting him.</p><p>Safe to say it hadn’t been a good couple of hours, then Jango Fett had dropped the little fact that all clones had control chips in their brains for specific commands that could turn them into droids. Droids that could be sent to kill their Jedi. Before anger and indignation could overwhelm him, Cody had marched up to the Prime and slugged him hard across the face, resulting in several broken knuckles and a broke bloody nose.</p><p>Obi-Wan had dragged Jango to the med bay with a betrayed and heartbroken expression on his face. The rest of them sat in stunned silence until each of the clones stomped out followed closely by their apprehensive Jedi.</p><p>Obi-Wan and Jango would either work out their issues or they wouldn’t, then Jango would have to work out his issues with all his copies. Either way they would see the man around a lot, or they would never see him and Boba again. It all depended on how much he loved Obi-Wan and his clones.</p><p>“I’m not going to lecture you, I’m just worried, about you more than anything, this is some pretty big news.” Quinlan replies. “Deep breath and hold before exhaling for me.” He adds and as Cody complies, he realigns the broken fingers.</p><p>Cody only flinches slightly when his fingers snap into place and Quinlan kisses the corner of his mouth as an apology. He sees how there are unshed tears in his lover’s eyes and he quickly splints his fingers and drags him into bed.  He cocoons them in blankets as he brings Cody into his chest.</p><p>“How could he…” Cody says angrily.</p><p>“Hatred and anger make people do monstrous things, Jango had his reasons but it never gave him the right to take somebody else’s freedom for his revenge. If he’s told us about the plot against the Jedi to stop it from happening, means he’s had a change of heat but it’s still okay to mad with him. It’s okay to not feel ready to forgive him.” Quinlan say as he strokes a hand through Cody’s hair.</p><p>Quinlan feels a lot of things, however, fear crawls over and engulfs him like a cold oily spill that he can’t scrub from his skin. An entire army turned into mindless droids against their will in less than a minute, ready to follow any command from a mysterious Sith Lord. He shudders, not even the younglings would be spared.</p><p>Even as his fear chills his bones he tightens his hold on Cody and does his best to help him releasing the throbbing pain of a broken hand into the force. He can’t do much more for his emotional state, it is something the Commander would have to work out on his own.</p><p>Bigger questions also invade his mind.</p><p>Who was the Sith Lord? Maul had been presumed dead for 10 years, he’s not that old either. It would’ve taken extensive planning and waiting in order to disrupt the balance of the galaxy enough to send it into an all out war. Ventress and Savage are relatively new Sith warriors so that crossed them out, which leaves Dooku and whoever he is working with. Wherever the old man had disappeared to, Quinlan knows he’s plotting his next move now that the war had come to a close.</p><p>Deep down he knows war never really ends, the peace is too fragile.</p><p>They have grown too lax in the time since the war has ended, the threat of the Sith is still very real. It’s become obvious after Jango’s confession that they are not as safe as they believe they are.</p><p>He needs to return to the shadows, rip the secrets from the darkest parts of the galaxy, even if he knows he would lose himself in the process. For now, he stays in bed as the Commander sleeps deeply with his face buried in the crook of his neck and shoulder, thankfully oblivious to the world and far away from the painful truth.</p><p>There’s another reason he’s staying at the Temple, Khaleen Hentz and his son are coming to Coruscant. He should probably mention it sooner rather than later to Cody, but for now he sleeps.</p><p>
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    <em>EARLY EVENING: Fives</em>
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</p><p> <em>“So, you’re Feral’s boyfriend?”</em></p><p>Fives is tired, he wants to collapse on the nearest and somewhat comfortable flat surface and pass out for the next 12 hours. He’s barely awake on his feet in the kitchen as he blearily tries to cut up a piece of fruit until their take out arrives.</p><p>Working for Chancellor Amidala has probably been the best job he’s ever had, but the woman get’s death threats and assassination attempts from radicals across the galaxy like it is her second job. She’s well loved by almost the entire Senate and vast majority of the Separatist Senators. So Fives knows it is the especially deranged who enjoyed war, or who profited from it are the ones behind the attempts on her life.</p><p>His neck stings from where the blaster bolt had grazed his neck from when the bounty hunter almost took his head off before he had managed to tackle him. He just wants to curl up with Feral and maybe watch a holo-movie, but he knows the Zabrak has been busy with school. He just didn’t expect to see his living room full of people cramming for an exam.</p><p>He isn’t going to lie he feels a little neglected with how Feral only gave him a distracted wave when he announced that he was home. The sour looking Kage that he had seen a few days ago is also sitting in his living room, far too close to Feral for his liking. He knows Feral won’t talk to him for days if he throws a possessive temper tantrum about who he hangs out with at school. So he doesn’t.</p><p>He's also an adult, he doesn’t need to throw tantrums like a young boy upset his girlfriend is texting a male friend.</p><p>However, what he doesn’t need is the sour Kage coming up behind him and crowding him into a corner in his own damn fucking kitchen. The boy is getting bold, Fives is big and heavily muscled so the kid must have some sort of wild card he can pull if things do get physical.</p><p>“That’s certainly one word for what we have. Since we are grown men, we don’t find the need to label the relationship we have.” Fives says dryly as he slowly chews on his fruit as he turns to face Feral’s classmate.</p><p>“So, you don’t think Feral deserves anything? I just knew he could better than a <em>clone</em>.” Dadan says haughtily.</p><p>“Listen kid, I just want to eat my fruit in peace, don’t think I won’t throw you out to get my peace. I own this apartment with Feral and Nel too and I can guarantee that she doesn’t like you either. You’re really not making a good impression here.” Fives says with a heavy sigh, there’s not enough room to squeeze pas the furiotus looking Kage.</p><p>“Not even man enough to defend the guy you got pregnant? I may have to step in and take over for you, who knows maybe I’ll fuck the baby out of him and make him pregnant with mine.” Dadan growls as he steps closer to Fives, he feels his hackles raise and he straightens to his full height.</p><p>He curses the fact that the kitchen is the only enclosed space in their entire apartment, the kid will probably cry wolf if he hits him and nobody sees the lead up.</p><p>“Aww, that’s cute that you think Feral needs protecting. He’s a Nightbrother, I should be asking <em>him </em>for protection, he’s a deadly warrior and probably the son of a witch. You’re very mistaken if you think you can seduce or land a punch on him….” Fives says darkly, he grabs the knife and Dadan’s shirt at the same time, spinning them so that the Kage is pinned into the corner with the tip of the knife at his throat.</p><p>“Another thing…. If you ever threaten my child again or reveal Feral’s private information that you shouldn’t even know, to anyone else. No one will ever find your body. You really are in over your head kid, you also forget that I have the Jedi to back me up.” Fives whispers acidly and Dadan shrinks under Fives’ furious glare.</p><p>They stand there in limbo for several tense seconds as neither man makes a move.</p><p>“Fives? Everything all good in here?” Feral asks suspiciously and Fives can’t help but soften as he looks at his partner. He looks soft and comfortable shoeless, only wearing a soft sweatshirt and pair of loose shorts. He can also see the sharp glare directed at Dadan.</p><p>“Yeah fly-guy, we were just sorting a few things out.” Fives says as tosses the knife in the sink and turns his back on Dadan.</p><p>“Good. Dadan are you staying for dinner?” Feral asks as he wraps his arms around Fives’ waist.</p><p>Fives melts against Feral’s warm presence and he barely hides a smirk as Feral grabs a handful of his ass and nibbles on his ear in front of the envious Kage.</p><p>“No, I think I’m going to head home for the night.” Dadan says bitterly as he shoves past the pair, leaving them alone in the kitchen.</p><p>Feral smirks at him and runs a finger along his semi-hard cock through his work pants, he bites his lip to hold in his groan.</p><p>“Thank you.” Feral whispers before he kisses Fives deeply.</p><p>“Hmmm for what?” He replies contently.</p><p>“For not killing my classmate and for not treating me like some damsel in distress that always needs saving.” Feral whispers huskily against his ear and Fives shivers as warm air ghosts over his bacta patch.</p><p>“What’s even that guy’s problem? I’m probably the reason he hasn’t lost a limb to a grenade.” Fives says annoyed as he watches Dadan slam out of the apartment with his book bag.</p><p>“Big ol’ entitlement problem on that one.” Feral murmurs softy and Fives can’t stop a small giggle.</p><p>Feral frowns as he looks at Fives’ neck and gently rubs a thumb along the edges of the patch, Fives winces internally, it isn’t a life threatening injury but he knows it looks bad.</p><p>“Work accident, another bounty hunter tried to assassinate the Chancellor.” Feral says with a half smile.</p><p>“Well I’m glad you’re okay. I wouldn’t want you to miss the ultrasound at the Temple tomorrow morning.” Feral says softly and Fives’ mind stutters for a second on what he says.</p><p>“You want me to come?” Fives asks bewildered.</p><p>“Of course I do, the baby is your as well, we’re in this together, no matter what.” Feral replies and Fives kisses him deeply with his hands cupping Feral’s face.</p><p>“I love you.” Fives says and leaves the kitchen, Nel calls impatiently how the food is getting cold, he doesn’t notice the stunned look that Feral has on his face.</p><p>It isn’t until much later that night when they’re curled up in bed together and he has his hand over Feral’s lower stomach.  As he enjoys the perfect night, he realizes he’s told Feral how he really feels.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Khaleen Hentz is Quinlan's legends wife, they share a child together so I thought it would be interesting to bring her in, she's a pretty dope character too.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Ride the Wave for As Long As You Can</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Since I've been working for my casting agency at home I have two monitors so I can do work on one monitor and dick around on the other haha. I kinda based Nel off my best friend, she has a 94% average at our uni but she thinks she's always going to fail smh.  Anyway there a bit of sexual creepiness from Dadan in this chapter so slight warning for some fetishitzation and harassment.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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    <em>EARLY MORNING: Jango</em>
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</p><p>“Is it reversible?” Obi-Wan asks him, he’s turned away from him on the bed (he’s glad he’s even on the bed at all but he knows the floor would equally as cold).</p><p>“No, it’s built into their brain tissue, it’s supposed to be undetectable unless a level 5 brain scan is preformed, even then it will remain dormant until activated.” Jango says slowly, he’s always disliked himself for varying reasons all throughout his life as anyone does. But now, as he and Obi-Wan lay in the darkness of his Temple room, self hatred eats him alive like a nexu to an injured eopie.</p><p>“What is supposed to activate them?” Obi-Wan whispers hoarsely.</p><p>“I don’t know Dooku never told me that part.” Jango admits softly and he can here Obi-Wan laugh wetly and he squeezes his eyes closed to keep the tears that well in his eyes from spilling onto his face.</p><p>“Did you really hate us that much? Did you really hate me that much? Enough to rip away the last amount of free will enslaved men ever had?” Obi-Wan says angrily and Jango flinches back from the man as he slams his hands on his chest, forcing him flat on the soft bed.</p><p>The heat from his hands sear through the thin sleeping shirt Obi-Wan had slipped over his head after his armor had been carted away to be cleaned. He had trained Cody too well, the commander had one hell of a right hook. He’s pretty sure he’ll be feeling his broken nose for weeks, he just hopes the pounding headache that fuzzes his thinking process will go away soon.</p><p>“I don’t know! Maybe? Do you know how many of my friends, my family I had to watch be cut down by Jedi on Mandalore? Do you know it felt to have the Jedi toss away the blame for the massacre? Dooku gave me a golden ticket for revenge and I took it! I’m not a good person Obi-Wan, I’m a killer, I still am one, I don’t deserve you or Boba, I probably never did. I knew I couldn’t enjoy the life you’ve allowed me to have and not make things right, I will do everything I can to help my boys, to save them and if you still want me to leave…I will, I will not hurt the one I love, anymore than I already have.” Jango says through gritted teeth, he’s glad Boba is off with Wolffe and Plo Koon for the night.</p><p>Obi-Wan stares at him for a long time, he doesn’t look away from the heartbroken Jedi, not when the heartbreak is his own fault. Finally, after what feels like years pass them, Obi-Wan lets out a watery snort and shakes his head. He’s never seen Obi-Wan cry, not ever, but he guesses everyone has their breaking limits. His betrayal just happened to be the final straw, the final bundle of harvest that toppled the eopie.</p><p>Obi-Wan slowly lowers his forehead to gently rest on Jango’s and he goes stiff with surprise, Obi-Wan hasn’t forgiven him, that much is for sure but he is willing to work and bridge the chasm Jango has opened up between them. He brushes a hand through Obi-Wan’s hair, it’s gotten long and it reminds him of a time long ago. When his love didn’t wake up screaming for Jedi long killed by the war or for Cody, begging for his commander to hold on.</p><p>A Jedi who loved too much should never have been subjected to the horrors of war, it was painfully unfair, much like Jango’s own choices.</p><p>“You have shown that you are a better man than you believe yourself to be Jango, I may not be able to forgive you immediately but I know you will be able to earn it back. Do not forget that I am a killer as well, what you deserve shouldn’t be dictated by your most regrettable actions.” Obi-Wan says softly.</p><p>Jango stares at Obi-Wan speechless, he wants to tell Obi-Wan that he’s wrong, that Jango’s entire life has been a life of morally dubious actions and downright murderous events.</p><p>He was never meant for greatness, not like Obi-Wan, not like Anakin. As much as Obi-Wan wants to drag him along on his tidal wave of goodness, Jango knows that while he may be able to ride it for a while, try as hard as he can to be the good person that Obi-Wan and Boba think he is. He knows he’ll sink eventually. Another one of his crimes will crawl from the depths of his history to drag him down and haunt him.</p><p>But for now, since it makes Obi-Wan happy, or at least relieved. He will try his best to live up to his expectations, to be the good man Obi-Wan claims he is.</p><p>He wraps his hands around Obi-Wan’s waist and draws the man down to lay on his chest, he slots their legs together and enjoys the Jedi’s warm breath as it ghosts teasingly along his neck.</p><p>There would be no more word words tonight, he didn’t have anymore to give. They would have plenty more to talk about tomorrow morning, when they are both more rested and emotionally stable. There will be more to say the days after tomorrow, until he truly becomes a good man or just returns to who he has always been.</p><p>His clones would have plenty to say to fill the space, a fact he doesn’t look forward too at all. But still, he will do anything he can to help them as they have become the family he didn’t know he needed.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>MIDMORNING: Feral</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Feral rolls his neck out as he stands in front of his storage locker, the exams week had been absolutely brutal, but he feels confident about his scores. Now all they have to do is play the nail-biting game of waiting until their marks came back. Nel has entered of a cycle of believing she does well on an exam then immediately makes herself believe that she has failed miserably.</p><p>It was entertaining for the first few times she went through the cycle, Nel is wickedly smart who always seems to get top marks. She always manages to make herself believe she has gotten less then 20% on each of her exams or assignments when she’s never gotten below a 75% on anything. He knows to automatically remind her that she hasn’t failed anything before she even opens her mouth.</p><p>Thankfully, now that exams are over they get to have a 2 week break from school for the planet’s holiday season, time to travel home, to rest and recharge for the next term. Feral is grateful for several reasons, he has missed Fives dearly when they’re both so busy, they haven’t done much more than fall into bed once they get home.</p><p>He’s pretty sure that Fives fell asleep when Feral was sucking him off a few days ago, he asked the morning after and the man had gone redder than Maul’s skin and had muttered something he couldn’t hear before he ran out the door. A second reason is that now that he’s about 2 and a half months into his pregnancy his body is starting to shift to accommodate for the baby. He needs time to mentally prepare for being obviously and visibly pregnant.  With how he is already showing makes him have an inkling feeling that he’s having two children, he had to push his meeting with Master Che back because of his exams but tomorrow he and Fives would get the first look of their children.</p><p>Another reason, that he won’t be afraid to admit (out loud even) is that with the break Dadan is finally going home to stay with family for the entire two weeks. Finally giving Feral the space he desperately needs. He has had a tense relationship with Kage ever since his second outburst about Fives last week in the kitchen. He could cut ties once the year was over, but as it stands, they share almost every single one of their first-year classes together.</p><p>There is really no escaping him and they have too many mutual friends, if he were to below up at him, he would be back to square one. Back to having no friends and he can see how all the classes have already divided up into their own sperate groups.</p><p>Making friends at this point in the game would be difficult.</p><p>He would miss Nel as she visits Pantora and Corellia, traveling for him would be too risky now. He heard Fives and Rex mumble about a security leak and on top of the attack that had happened when they moved it. It was too much of risk to have him traveling out in open space, even on a civilian transport, there are too many opportunities to be seen by unsavoury characters.</p><p>Even so, there is nothing for him to go back too, he’ll call Fayte in a few days as he promised and catch up with the old burly woman just as they had promised too. Nel had also promised to bring back Pantoran sweets from her mother. Now that he thinks about IT, she had never said why She had left home early to begin with. He knows deep down that her story probably mirrored his own more than he originally thought.</p><p>He yanks on his jacket that Rex had gotten him, with its blue 501<sup>st</sup> patches and all, the man was sweet as sugar under his gruff captain exterior. He’s seen how the man would give his life away ten times over if it meant saving the lives of his men, he can now see where Fives has picked up some of his personality.</p><p>“Feral, you know here I thought we were friends, I didn’t think friends kept secrets from each other.” Dadan says as he goes to lean against the wall next to his locker.</p><p>Now Feral hasn’t seen many movies about teenagers in peril, but this feels oddly like the holo-dramas Nel and Fives like so much.</p><p>“What could you possibly mean Dadan?” Feral asks back, trying to remain as polite as possible.</p><p>“You wanna know something cool about Kage warrior lineage? Those among the warrior family have infrared vision, it’s an ability passed down from years of evolution and generations of families.” Dadan says smoothly as he gets in Feral’s space, his hand is uncomfortably close to his lower stomach.</p><p>
  <em>Infrared…? What does…Oh no...</em>
</p><p>“Oh good, I know you’re smart I hate having to spell things out for people. I got hand it to you, pregnant with twins while attending school, it must be very stressful. I heard that pregnant woman have certain urges when they’re with child. You’re obviously a man but I know Dathomir is a backwards planet, I’m just saying I can satisfy you in ways that <em>clone can’t</em>.” Dadan says slickly as rubs over Feral’s stomach.</p><p>Feral slaps his hand and grabs his wrist in a crushing hold, he can feel the bones grind together, just a little tighter and the bones could break under his grip.</p><p>“Now I have been very nice to you… I have been patient, but you have pushed this too far. Whatever thing you have against my boyfriend or any of his brother, drop it. Secondly, I don’t want you anywhere near me anymore, I don’t want to speak to you or hear you. You can also lose my holo-number.” Feral hisses and he crushes the bones under Dadan’s skin with a sickening crack. The man wails as he drops to his knees, scrambling at Feral’s fingers to try and yank his hand out of Feral’s grip.</p><p>“You fucking whore! Let go! <em>Clone fucker</em>!” Dadan shrieks and Feral drops his arm like a limp carcass, he whimpers struggling to get up and back away from Feral. They have started accumulating an audience.</p><p>“I’ll take that as a compliment, you should try it sometime, they’re perfect in every way.” Feral says with a smirk and it only makes the Kage angrier, Feral can see how his eyes glow bright green with hate and pain.</p><p>“I knew you would be difficult, I’m glad I took the liberty to tell the nearest news source that the Jedi are harbouring a criminal.” Dadan says hatefully.</p><p>“What do you mean? My record is squeaky clean.” Feral responds and Dadan smirks, it’s an ugly expression. Someone turns up the volume of the holo-screen in the hallway as students start to gather. As soon as the audio of the newest breaking story hits his ears his body goes colder than it did when he realized that Savage was going to kill him.</p><p><em>“Thanks to a close confident it’s come to our attention that a student at University of Coruscant has been harbouring a dark secret, while we have characters from all over the galaxy we would never believe that the youngest brother of the two deadly Sith Lords would attend our school here. Feral Opress who is currently attending his first year in aerospace engineering is the youngest brother of Savage Opress and Darth Maul. Violent Sith Nightbrothers who are rumoured to run a violent underground crime ring, reports say that the brothers have also allied themselves with the terroristic group known as Death Watch. As well as have a pile of dead Jedi that they have personally killed with their brute force. Now is Feral an inside agent or merely apart of the wrong family. That is yet to be seen.”</em> The gossip news host says far too dramatically.</p><p>Feral doesn’t hear the rest of what she says, he turns to he run out of the building, he never feels his feet hit the ground as he shoves past people in the halls. People that either back away from him like he’s a plague or look at him with fear in their eyes.</p><p>Fives is already at the door, his bike sitting idle in the courtyard as he runs to meet Feral as he launches himself into the clone’s arms and sobs unabashedly into his work shirt.</p><p>His life is over as he knows it, Dadan had ruined everything he had worked so hard to accomplish and the damage is already done, no one would simply forget what they were just told.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Turned on by Your Brand of Insanity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Wow two updates in one week???? It's like back when I was still unemployed from breaking my shoulder haha, this one is kinda sappy but you know I'm not all angst and torment, I might pump out another wip cause you know TWC animation team really popped off with the Siege of Mandalore and I kinda love Saxon and Rook, kinda wanna do a Death Watch centered fic.  </p><p>But more updates to come this weekend! I'm gonna try and update all of them since the work week was so busy!</p><p> A little warning for reproductive coercion and dubious consent when discussing the power imbalance between the Nightsisters and Nightbrothers.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong> <em>MIDMORNING: Savage</em> </strong>
</p><p>“You didn’t tell me we had another brother…” Maul says in a tone Savage knows that says he isn’t invested in whatever they’re talking about just yet, but he know it’s important enough to make people squirm uncomfortably when he mentions it.</p><p>“All our kin were killed by the Nightsisters, I wasn’t aware we had a fourth brother.” Savage mumbles with a harsh frown as he sips slowly at his coffee. He saw the news report last night after their scanners and picked a name ping from a broadcast on Coruscant, specifically from the University based on the city planet.</p><p>He had tossed and turned all night, he hasn’t felt fear or anxiety in a long time, not since Ventress had first come to their village but the familiar sensation eating at his stomach is painfully familiar. He’s felt it plenty of times on the rare occasions that a Nightsister came to find a strong mate on the rare occasions that they wanted the pregnancy.</p><p>He wonders where his children are now, while he had never had to carry a child himself, he is too rough looking, not submissive enough, they all thought he would kill the baby before it even began to grow. That being said, being chosen to be taken to bed and impregnate a Nightsister was never pleasant. Both times had left him feeling like he wanted to crawl out of his own skin, sore and dirty on every layer of his skin. It was never helped when the Witches sent him on his way with a lecherous look or vulgar comment as his status as a Nightbrother, even worse when they would talk about brining Feral to bed to bare their children instead.</p><p>While it was technically his responsibility to look after his younger brother and be the unshakeable leader Viscus was trying to shape him into, by the time he would drag himself home Feral would hear non of his protests, even as he clung to the comforting warmth of his younger brother, shaking like a new born foal. They spent the rest of those days laying together under a mountain of blankets and Feral coaxing him to eat the foods he knew Savage couldn’t resist even at his sickest.</p><p>He never commented on how he would take extra long in the bath or how he had rubbed his tattooed skin raw.</p><p>A sudden sharp stinging pain rattles down one of his horns and it rudely rips away from his musings of a better time, it wasn’t great a time but it was better. He winces and rubs at the bone appendage shooting out of his skull.</p><p>“Are you with me, Savage?” Maul asks haughtily and it occurs to him that the Sith lord had thrown a metal pen at his head to grab his attention. He huffs irritably as he scrubs at his face and knocks back the rest of his caffeine before turning back to his other brother.</p><p>“The Zabrak named Feral Opress, what do you know of him Savage? Did you call him brother once?” Maul asks curiously and for the first time there is not contempt in his question, only curiosity.</p><p>“The man in the reports that were sliced into last night is indeed our brother, he is not like us, I don’t think he ever will be. It is best that we leave him be to continue his life, I thought him to be long dead.” Savage responds honestly as he tries to keep the memories of Feral’s death in the darkest parts of his mind.</p><p>“Why would that be? I sense a deep measure of guilt and anger when you speak about this brother, something happened, didn’t it?” Maul asks knowingly and Savage almost brushes him off and tells him to drop the subject, but he knows the Sith lord would find out sooner or later that he is a brother killer, the worst kind of criminal.</p><p>“Do you know of Asajj Ventress?” Savage asks and he can here the deep angry rumble emanate from the depths of Maul’s chest. No wonder everyone thinks they’re just horned cats.</p><p>“The Witch had come to our village looking for a mate, her plans for revenge against the Count were unbeknownst to us at that time, she had slaughtered 15 of us by the time Feral and I were the last ones standing in the final challenge, she was going to kill him like his life had no value….I surrendered myself to save my brother, my actions were all in vain as those wretched witches had me kill him to prove my loyalty. Moth Talzin didn’t not inform me that she revived him, I do not know the reason he was allowed off planet.” Savage admits roughly, he will not let the raging emotions inside him take over, he will remain in control, he isn’t an animal.</p><p>
  <em>He isn’t.</em>
</p><p>“While I would offer to exact our revenge on the Nightsisters it seems Dooku has already eliminated them completely, keep watch on our dearest little brother, I find him quite fascinating.” Maul hums, while he let the stress and apprehension flood from his body knowing Maul would leave their youngest brother well enough alone <em>for now</em>. However, the for now still makes him nervous, it is a promise that Feral will be brought into their fold eventually, it is only a matter of time until Maul gets impatient and exceptionally possessive.</p><p>Then again, Maul has always been exceptionally possessive, of him, of Kenobi, of his power and now finally Death Watch and its members. He’s seen the way Gar Saxon can’t look him in the eye now or how he walks around with a limp and bruises that peak over the collar of his armour. It’s pretty telling how Maul has decided to show that he owns Death Watch</p><p>Even if it’s better for everyone that he and Feral never see each other again he knows that won’t fit in Maul’s plan. However, maybe, just maybe, he can use his new-found power to protect his brother, keep him safe even if he is his brother’s worst nightmare.</p><p>
  <strong> <em>EVENING: Rex</em> </strong>
</p><p>Rex sips on his scotch and taps his cigarette on the edge of the railing as he let’s go of the drag of smoke, realising the familiar sensation of nicotine into his system. He hasn’t smoked in a few years, he had picked it up when Ahsoka had first come Anakin’s padawan as knee jerk stress reaction, he only started smoking heavily after Teth. He knows it’s hypocritical to get on Jesse’s case about smoking when he grabs for one the moment stress starts to eat at him. But after that stupid news outlet had blasted Feral’s personal information all over the university campus and finding out that the apartment had been bugged, wasn’t how he wanted to end the week.</p><p>Just thinking about makes him puff harder on the cigarette in his mouth, Padmé’s apartment offered a stunning view from the balcony. He understands as to why Palpatine had liked the top floors of the Republica 500. He feels as if he owns the planet, everything is just within his grasp.</p><p>The creepy old man had taste after all, though he isn’t going to call Palpatine creepy in front of Anakin, the Jedi would only get affronted and sulky until Rex sucked it out of him, literally or figuratively. The man obviously hadn’t gotten laid enough during the war, or at all, and he’s surprised that there’s no Jedi groupies like there are clone groupies. He treats sex like a gift and Rex isn’t going to deny that he likes mussing the jedi more than he should, debauching him with his robes hanging loosely off him as become one of his newer hobbies.</p><p>“So, this is where you’ve been? I talked to Padmé, she’s sending a cease and desist order to the university broadcast until a full investigation is performed since Feral is under the protection of the Jedi and it was both a blatant breach of privacy and planetary security. Fives is with him in their apartment, but I doubt anything we do now is going to repair the damage done.” Anakin says as he picks up Rex’s scotch glass and knocks back the amber liquid in one go.</p><p>“Have we found out who bugged the apartment or who the recording device belongs too?” Rex asks as blows out a cloud of smoke.</p><p>“Don’t need to, it was Feral’s classmate that a got a little too entitled and decided he deserved some reconciliation when Feral didn’t immediately fall onto his cock.” Anakin says bitterly and he can see how the metal of the railing strains against the force of his cybernetic hand.</p><p>“We should go on a family road trip to teach the little sleemo a lesson, it’ll be fun. We can bring snacks.” Rex says as he grinds his smoke out and flicks it over the railing with smirk. Anakin saunters over to envelope Rex’s back with his body as he wraps his arms around his waist, his fingers run over the beltline of his pants playfully.</p><p>“You know, I was just thinking the exact same thing, Padmé can get us out of prison too, it sounds like this guy comes from an aristocrat family on his home world so he could have some <em>meager connections</em>. Too bad we missed him, we could’ve gotten Fox to give him a memorable farewell.” Anakin says mouthing along Rex’s trapezius muscle.</p><p>“Not too late for a welcoming party, that is if he isn’t too chicken shit to come back and face the music.” Rex mutters bitterly and Anakin hums in agreement.</p><p>They stay on the balcony for a bit longer, watching the sun go down in a peaceful silence and he enjoys how Anakin’s hands feel as they drift up and down his torso, but his soldier brain wouldn’t stop nagging him about one thing.</p><p>“I know it’s a long shot, but I really hope Forkhead Opress and Darth Cockless were too busy with whatever they do when they aren’t actively killing Jedi or innocent civilians to notice the broadcast.” Re mumbles distractedly.</p><p>“You really think he doesn’t have a cock?” Anakin asks with smothered laugh.</p><p>“That’s what you got from what I just said? That is a good question though, it looks like has metal legs from the waist down, like a nub body on stilts. I did see a holo of a blonde Death Watch member eye fucking him so maybe he is packing and he has a Mando that’s turned on by his brand of insanity.” Rex says with a laugh as Anakin makes a pained face.</p><p>“<em>I don’t ever want to think about Maul fucking a Death Watch member</em>, he’s been spotted far enough way that there is a chance that they didn’t pick anything up but I’ve learned never to assume things about he Sith, we’ll just have to wait and see. Now c’mon we’re getting takeout so we can eat when Padmé get’s back from the office, she said she would be leaving soon.” Anakin says as pulls Rex by his hand back into the apartment.</p><p>If they do get distracted mid way through the apartment because Rex ends up in Anakin’s lap which starts a heated 30 minute make out session, nobody notices.</p><p>“Hmmm now we can go, any later and Padmé is going to come home to home with no food, we can’t be house husbands if all we do is live in apartments and look pretty, that would make us boy toys.” Anakin groan as Rex purposefully grinds his ass down on Anakin’s semi-hard dick.</p><p>“I’ll suck you off in the speeder if you keep the top up, I’m personally feeling that new Twi’lek place that just opened in the canopy.” Rex says with a devilish smirk as he saunters away making Anakin follow him like a dog in a rut.</p><p>
  <strong> <em>NIGHT: Fives</em> </strong>
</p><p>Fives sighs as he walks into Feral’s dark room, the plates of food are still untouched, and it looks like the blankets have been undisturbed which means Feral hasn’t moved from his cocoon on his bed. When they had arrived home he had said he wanted to be left alone, Fives had respected his wishes, but now with several hours passing and Feral only falling deeper into despair, it is time they have a talk.</p><p>Maybe if Fives could pry enough it would allow the Zabrak to release the floodgates and get some of his painful emotions out. If it means a shouting match to get Feral to talk then that’s what needs to happen.</p><p>The only light from the room is a dim desk lamp and the light that floods in from the surrounding city and nigh sky.  It makes Fives feel like he’s standing miles and miles away from his boyfriend who he loves dearly. The space between him and the bed seems daunting, like the longest few steps he has ever had to take.</p><p>He hasn’t felt this way since Echo died and he almost chokes on his inhale when he remembers his brother, oh how he wishes his batchmate were here now. Echo always seemed to know what to say, what do, now with him gone forever Fives feels his own lacking sharply like a knife to the heart.</p><p>But right now, it isn’t about him and he slowly strips himself of his sorrows surrounding his brother. There would be time to mourn him again, but this time isn’t now.  Feral needs him more so he let’s go of the ghostly memory of his brother and breathes through the oppressive atmosphere.</p><p>“Feral…I know you don’t want to eat but please…I…You can’t punish yourself for Dadan’s actions, it isn’t healthy for you…or the baby…” Fives trails and he curses his nervous stutter and how unsure he sounds.</p><p>“Babies…” Feral croaks as he peels the blanket away from his head. He looks awful, eyes red rimmed and tear tracks stain his blotchy yellow skin.</p><p>It brakes his heart.</p><p>“Babies…?” Fives asks as he crawls onto the bed and saddling up to Feral, spooning him over the blankets and curling an arm under his neck so he can stroke at the horns in way he hopes is soothing. He had seen Feral rub at his bone appendages while he studied or stuck worrying about something.</p><p>It seemed like a habit used to as a comforting mechanism, like the way he knew Tup liked his hair brushed and braided after a hard day or mission, he reminds himself to bring Tup by sometime, he and Feral would probably get along.</p><p>“We’re having twins…Dadan apparently has infrared vision and saw two heat signatures gestation inside me…” Feral whimpers as he clutches his stomach with a grimace, Fives does his very best breathe through the all-consuming rage that shoots through every cell in his body faster than any Sith lightning.</p><p>The joy of knowing he is going to have two children battles defiantly against the possessive rage that feeds off the crimes of Feral’s boundaries, trust and privacy being trampled by the slimy prick. That damn Kage had no business in knowing that Feral is pregnant or to ostracize him from the student body just for who his brothers are.</p><p>Feral deserved to have nice things, to live his life outside and untainted by his brother’s influence. It isn’t a large or overwhelming request and a single man had ruined it because he thought Feral owed him something, had hated him seeing him live his life with a being that Dadan had thought to be subhuman.</p><p>“You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and you’re giving me something I thought I could never have, you are a treasure and even though we’ve only been back together for a few months I want you to know that you’ve made every day better for me, I don’t know what I would do without you now.” Fiver murmurs and Feral whimpers as tears trail down his face as he turns into Fives’ warmth and grabs at the back of his work shirt to tug them impossibly closer.</p><p>Fives wipes away the tears and gently trails kisses along the high planes of Feral’s face and the Zabrak sniffs and mumbles contently as he lifts the blanket to let Fives it his cocoon.</p><p>“It’s okay to be sad, or furious, no one here is going to judge you for your justifiable emotions, but please do not let them destroy you, I need you, Nel needs you, our children need you.” Fives begs and Feral nod softly with a watery laugh.</p><p>“You’re such a sweet talker, but I’ll be strong for myself, for you and our babies and Nel. You can’t get rid of me that easily.” Feral says with another laugh.</p><p>“I will keep you as long as you want me, I do love you.” Fives whispers.</p><p>“As do I, my dear Fives I will love you until my hearts stop.” Feral says and they don’t need to say anymore as Fives swoop down and brings him into a crushing kiss,  they spend the rest of the night sleeping contently wrapped around each other.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Don't smoke children</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Come Back to Me Alive</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I modeled the Zabrak pregnancy after a general human pregnancy since they share similar DNA, there really isn't much out there other than males are used for breeding and can't leave the planet.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>EARLY MORNING: Rex</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“Rex, walk with me for a second.” Cody says as he holds out a cup of coffee that smells sweet and savoury, the bastard knew exactly how he liked it. So, either he was gearing up to tell Rex some god-awful news or he was going to ask him a favour, maybe it’s a combination of both.</p><p>Either way he’s glad to get away from the reports, in between Feral coming to live with Fives, the bounty hunter and the security breach it’s been a long week of non-stop meetings and reports on top of the work they have to do for operation clean-up. Or what the boys have been affectionally calling operation Latrine-Duty. He doesn’t blame them, Rex wouldn’t assign anyone the jobs they have been getting to anyone. They’re super soldiers, genetically designed to be the best fighting force the galaxy has ever seen. Rex knows he feels the sudden of emotions that every other solider feels, like the carpet has suddenly been pulled out from underneath them. They have gone from soldiers to relief workers, the pay and citizenship are nice, now he just has to work to prove to the galaxy that he deserves them as much as any nat-born officer, even if his service should be proof enough.</p><p>Admiral Yularen has been key in teaching them the ropes of military structure outside the GAR and where they fit in among the nat-born officers, if he didn’t adore the man before he does now. He’ll have to give the man a bottle of wine for him and his wife next time he sees him for all his hard work. Though he really hopes for the sake of the man’s blood pressure he’ll settle for a nice teaching job once everything has been mopped up. There are plenty of young cadets in the system now looking for guidance and he knows the man would fit the role of teacher perfectly.</p><p>“Something on your mind Codes?” Rex asks as he takes the cup from his older brother as he stands from the desk and obligatory ignores the way his right knee cracks (fucking Slick and his knee popper).</p><p>“I have news for you, blondie.” Cody says as he motions for Rex to walk down the hall of the newly reformed GAR headquarters with him, he can now stay in his damn office for more than a few minutes without feeling incredibly cramped.</p><p>“I figured, you did bring my favourite drink. Do you need a place to bunk now that Master Vos is bringing his ex girlfriend and child to Coruscant?” Rex asks teasingly before he takes a sip of his coffee and he tries not to sigh too loudly as the sweet beverage hits his tongue. He does however, dodge Cody’s elbow being jabbed at his ticklish ribs.</p><p>“No, you ass, I do have my own apartment, not all of us are in a polyamorous relationship with a Jedi Knight husband and Supreme Chancellor wife.” Cody snips back with a smirk and Rex rolls his eyes.</p><p>“So, what is it? Especially dangerous mission with a low chance of success and high chances of evisceration by explosion?” Rex asks and Cody and he loses some of his jovial tone.</p><p>“While out on a special ops mission in the outer rim clone force 99 or the Bad Batch picked up a live signal from Skako Minor, they sent it back to the GAR for analysis, and there’s no easy way for me to say this but…We think Echo’s alive.” Cody says seriously and Rex almost chokes on his drink.</p><p>“Are you sure…?” Rex asks softly as he stares at his brother desperately.</p><p>“Yes, we’re looking to organize a team and leave within the next two rotations. I wanted you to be the first one to know.” Cody says and Rex nods numbly.</p><p>“How come I’ve never heard of this Bad Batch?” Rex asks curiously and Cody smirks at him.</p><p>“Because I didn’t tell you, they’re a side project I nurtured throughout the war, their clones with desirable mutation, they’re big personalities. You probably would’ve gotten into a fist fight with at least one of them.” Cody laughs and Rex shakes his head in disbelief, Echo alive…It’s almost unbelievable, but the part of him that’s always been the bleeding heart that he’s tried his best not to stomp on leaps at the chance of Echo being alive.</p><p>He has to tell Fives.</p><p>“We need one more member on the team.” Cody says cryptically.</p><p>“You already know who I’m going to pick, we both know we can’t go gallivanting on any top secret missions anymore, we’re too old and we’re needed here and on the destroyers to direct the clean up effort, there’ literally no other option to chose.” Rex says with a scoff.</p><p>“The Bad Batch arrives later today, we’ll have a day to prepare before sending Fives off with the for a possible wild goose chase or an unbelievable rescue mission.” Cody says and Rex smiles lopsidedly.</p><p>“Unbelievable is our specialty at this point, I mean I did make it off Kamino with blonde hair and you kept a secret squad from me all this time. I think we have a few more unbelievable tricks we can pull out of our buckets.” Rex says drily and Cody huffs out a dry laugh.</p><p>“I’m glad you have so much faith, now tell me, I need to piss Quinlan off. What flowers do you think a nat-born female ex-Separatist spy would like?” Cody asks and this time it’s Rex’s turn to huff out a dry laugh.</p><p>“Definitely something exotic, I’d say Blue-Bells and before you say anything, I’m not saying that only because I like the colour blue.” Rex says with a smirk.</p><p>“Oh, I would never think that it’s not like half your wardrobe is blue. Why would I ever think your favourite colour is blue?” Cody says with a drawn-out eye roll.</p><p>“See if I ever give you advice again you ass. I’m going to go tell Fives about the mission. Send me the details once you’ve finished impressing Master Vos’ ex girlfriend.” Rex says as he gives a lazy salute to his brother before he struts away in the opposite direct far faster than what’s really necessary, but if Cody has a witty reply, he doesn’t hear it.</p><p>He knows his good mood is going to disappear the moment he tells Fives that there’s a chance Echo may still be alive. He doesn’t want to pull Fives away from the family he has been building, for him only to die on a wild goose chase. He knows this mission will be dangerous, he thinks guiltily that he’s yet again sending his men, his brothers off to die just when they’ve had a chance to really enjoy their lives and establish themselves for however long they have. But he knows Fives will hate him more for keeping the information secret, so he drags his heels along the floor as he walks towards the senate apartments.</p><p>
  <em>It won’t be the beginning of the end, not this time. No more life will be sacrificed to save another, not as long as he’s breathing.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>EARLY MORNING: Feral</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>When Feral rolls over his hand hits an empty cold spot where Fives is usually supposed to be, he cracks his eyes open and moans when he sees the time. It’s far to early to be awake on his break from school and he’s not going to lie to himself and say he’s not pouting at the fact that Fives still isn’t curled up with him. He knows the man can’t break away from his soldier lifestyle even if he tried. The man will be awake as soon as the sun rises ready to work whatever Chancellor Amidala needs him too. His dedication to others has become very apparent in their time together and Feral never stops being amazed by the man’s love for his brothers and his dedication to helping to better the lives of the clones, even the ones he’s never met.</p><p>He heaves himself from under the thick covers, as the days have progressed Coruscant has started getting colder. He always thought that the city planet had only one season, but it seems that there is more to the city planet than just the rumble of the steal jungle that has made the planet so infamous. While he always runs hot with his twin hearts the sudden drop int temperature has made retaining his heat hard and one day Fives showed up with armfuls of thick blankets. Obviously noticing how Feral shivered at night even in the well heated apartment. He isn’t going to be ashamed by the way he had tackled the man into the bed and proceeded to ride the Fives for everything he’s worth.</p><p>He grabs a sweater that is on the verge of becoming too tight, after 3 months he’s starting to show that he is visibly pregnant. He already feels heavy and stretched out and he groans at the thought of him being 8 or 9 months pregnant with twins.</p><p>He’ll have to talk to his professors soon about his condition, that’s a conversation he isn’t looking forward too. Pregnancy always brought questions and it isn’t going to be any easier explaining the intricacies of being a Nightbrother on Dathomir.</p><p>He passes Nel’s bathroom and he can hear the sound of water running and feel the slight brush of steam against his feet that seeps out under the door, seems like he’s the last one awake today. Nel doesn’t have a reason to be awake at this time either since she is also on the break, but he suspects that she may be meeting with Ahsoka and the young Pantoran senator today.</p><p>It seems like Nel just happens to be better at picking friends he thinks a little bitterly. The smell of coffee wafts through the apartment and Feral craves it so badly but he has to keep a somewhat strict diet for the health of his babies. Even as his body screams for the energy giving drink he taps the urge down, he’ll have a smoothie instead.</p><p>He isn’t surprised when he sees Rex and Fives sitting together at the dinning room table, Rex comes around often enough, for both personal and work-related reasons. However today something seems different, the way Fives has a defeated slouch, and the way Rex rubs his hand over his back makes Feral pause in announcing his presence right away. He knows a private moment when he sees one and he almost debates going back the room and pretending he never saw anything to begin with.</p><p>He's no stranger to the sight of crushing sadness, the sting of betrayal still mixes with his everyday emotions after his entire history was put on blast by Dadan only a week ago.</p><p>Just as he’s about to sneak away when Rex lifts his head and pulls away, patting Fives roughly on the back and whispering something in a language he doesn’t recognize. He sees Feral standing awkwardly at the mouth of the hallway and he startles slightly before putting on a kind smile.</p><p>Feral badly wants to know what has happened but he doesn’t know if it’s even his place to ask, Rex walks up and places a warm hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“He’s going to need you, more than ever now.” Rex says cryptically before he walks out of the apartment leaving Feral at a loss of what to do. He looks at Fives staring blankly at the morning scenery with his cooling cup of coffee.</p><p>“Fives...?” He asks hesitantly as he slowly steps closer to the table, he only gets more anxious as the man remains still as a statue carved from stone.</p><p>As he places his hands on his partner’s shoulder it seems to jerk the man out of whatever ever headspace he is in. He looks up at Feral with wide tremulous eyes and Feral feels the emotions so sharply like they are his won.</p><p>“Talk to me…. please.” Feral asks softly and Fives laughs hollowly before tugging Feral down into his lap and burrowing his face into his sweater. After several moments of completely stillness he feels Fives take a shuddering inhale before he lifts his head to meet Feral’s concerned gaze.</p><p>“I don’t know where to start…I’m being sent on a mission to hunt down a lead that may lead us to Echo…He may be still alive…I …I-I left him, he was caught in an explosion and I was sure that he was dead, there was no way he could’ve survived…but he did and I left him to bleed out on some stupid fucking Separatist prison planet and all this time he’s been their prisoner…!” Fives wheezes as he chokes out the story through gritted teeth.</p><p>“Hey…None of that, breath for me big guy, in and out. None of this is your fault, you hear me? None. I will keep saying this until my voice gives out. When do you leave and how long will you be gone for?” Feral asks even as his own hearts beat faster knowing Fives is about to go off on a possibly dangerous mission.</p><p>Fives takes several shuddering inhales before swallowing roughly.</p><p>“I’m leaving tomorrow with a special ops squad, the mission is supposed to take no more than a few days, a week at most if travel is being included. But I don’t know if I should go, I can’t leave you, what if something happens?” Fives asks desperately.</p><p>“Nothing will happen, you will hate yourself more by not going, go Fives, get you brother I want to meet him. Just come back to me once you’re done, in at least one piece.” Feral asks softly and Fives clutches onto his wrist and kisses his palm.</p><p>“I will I promise, I won’t leave you alone.” Fives says roughly.</p><p>“I’m counting on it.” Feral whispers back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Boba Can Be Enough</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>MORNING: BOBA</em> </strong>
</p><p>He feels stupid, it’s stupid that he’s feeling stupid.</p><p>Boba stands outside the apartment number that Jango had given him and handed him a few credits and sent him on his way. He’s not a child, he’s going to be 12 soon he doesn’t need to be sent away and shielded from all the bad things his father has done. He knows who father is, he isn’t ashamed of who he is, some people tell him he should be. They tell him that Jango is nothing but a murderer, a thief with no loyalty to anyone but himself.</p><p>They don’t know his father like he does, Jango cares, he does. He has heard over the hours of them traveling the empty void of space together of how he had loved Jaster Mereel more than anyone.  How his voice died on a dry crack as he relived the man dying in his arms.</p><p>Jango cares, which is why he’s been working himself to the bone in trying to find a solution to the inhibitor chips that were placed in the clones. Jango’s own personal feelings are possibly another reason why he’s now standing like a good little cadet, in front of an apartment with his finger hovering over the door buzzer.</p><p>It's late enough in the morning that he knows that whoever inside should be awake now, he may feel stupid but he isn’t stupid. He knows what goes on in between the ranks of the newly reformed GAR that is now the Republic Outreach Initiative, meant to be more of a peace keeping organization rather than simply an army meant to fight a lifeless enemy.</p><p>He doesn’t know all the details but he can see how things have changed, the clones wore different, personalized armour and uniforms that weren’t the mass produced garbage the Kaminoans made. Nat-born officers appeared next to the clones day after day to try and rebuild the shattered galaxy.</p><p>People came and went as they pleased, people fought for what they actually believed in and no one who was injured never disappeared to Kamino to never return like he knew they did when clones were considered property.</p><p>Rumours were often much milder than the actual truth they were based on, he had spent his entire life on the miserable water planet, like he said, he’s a kid but that didn’t make him stupid.</p><p>People tended to say things around him thinking nothing of it, he knows Fives may not come back from the mission he was sent on two days ago.</p><p>Which brings him back to waiting patiently at the door until someone either comes to greet him or they don’t and he can go home. He knows this is the apartment Fives shares with Feral and his Pantoran friend and he knows he’s been sent as the moral support and comfort child until Fives returned from his off-world mission.</p><p>It is a big IF statement.</p><p>He can play that part, he can bat his eyes and pretend his dad doesn’t take him across the galaxy to hunt and kill whoever will bring the most money home. He knows Jango wants (and not so secretly) the grandchildren that Fives has miraculously created with a drunken hookup.  So he can entertain the despondent Nightbrother for a few hours, he does know how the older man must feel being stuck on the planet while Fives flies off on a deadly mission.</p><p>He does, he may not know where he stands with the clones, (are they his brothers?) But he knows how it feels to be left behind.</p><p>“Hello?” Nel asks curiously as she opens the door.</p><p>“Hello Mrs. Nel, is Feral home? My dad wanted me to check up on him.” He may be a bounty hunter, but he still knows his manners, Jango raised him to be polite.</p><p>He admits to himself that Nel is probably the prettiest lady he has ever seen, from her pastel green hair to the half suns tattooed on her cheek he hasn’t seen anyone like her.</p><p>“Hello lovely, he is, come in come in, sorry I kept you waiting out here. How has your dad been?” Nel asks as she takes the box from his arms and he follows her into the apartment, it’s a nice apartment. The Jedi really didn’t skip on the accommodations.</p><p>“He’s been busy but pretty good.” He replies simply.</p><p>“Feral, Boba’s here!” Nel shouts down the hall as she places the box of pastries down on the low table in front of the couch.</p><p>“Did he bring something? It smells really good.” Feral says as he walks down the hall and Boba has to force himself to not do a double take.</p><p>The Nightbrother is wearing an oversized school sweater but then he can still see the large bump that has expanded his lower stomach, has it really been that long since they brought him to Coruscant? How long did nat-born babies grow, how fast did baby Nightbrothers grow?</p><p>“Dad gave me a few credits to buy you something, they’re from the Nikto owned bakery down the street.” Boba says shyly as he scuffs his foot on the floor, he really does hope they’ll like them since he did take an extra 20 minutes to meticulously pick each pastry.</p><p>“Jango sent you? I can see where all your brothers get their charm.” Feral says fondly as he takes a bite of powdery white pastry.</p><p>“It’s nothing, we know that Fives was sent on a mission to try and retrieve a brother thought to be KIA and we just wanted to make his time away a little less lonely.” Boba says simply and he can see how Feral’s face falls a little and he winces.</p><p>“He’ll be back by the end of the week, we all know this, c’mon you said you would do a video game binge with me since we’re still on break.” Nel says as she shakes a remote in the air.</p><p>“Have you ever played video games Boba?” Feral asks as Boba shuffles closer to the couch, he’s never really gotten the chance, they never had anything fun on Kamino and Jango said that they would only be a distraction and he hadn’t really seen the appeal of them.</p><p>“No, not really, maybe I’ll just watch for now?” He asks and Nel nods before gently nudging him so that he sits in between her and his brother-in-law(?).</p><p>He’ll never regret the life he lives, life along side his father as a bounty hunter is life on edge and he’s lucky enough to live it to the fullest.  But as he sits in between Nel and Feral as they bicker about what videogame to play it’s nice. It’s nice to feel normal and not have to beat the shit out of the next person to gain a room’s respect, it’s nice to just be Boba and for that to be enough.</p><p>
  <strong> <em>NIGHT: Fives</em> </strong>
</p><p>The Bad Batch be damned, well maybe not all the way damned since they are highly proficient soldiers who are good at what they do, but every single one of them grates along his nerves. It’s really not something he needs when hoards upon hoards of Wat Tambor’s droids are trying to make him into the next swiss cheese to display on his charcuterie board.</p><p>Echo’s alive, he knows he is!</p><p>“Tech, get your ass over here and unlock this fucking door for me!” He barks out, the signal had led them to the capital city (how cliché of Tambour).  They are keeping his brother just beyond a door that screams big and mysterious secret.</p><p>It doesn’t help that the droids have completely boxed them in, he doesn’t exactly see how they’re going to get back out they get Echo. Skako Minor was still enemy territory, so a fleet wouldn’t be coming any to their rescue, they’re on their own and they are running out of options.</p><p>“We got it from here! I hope you find what you’re looking for in there, we’ll hold them off for as long as we can.” Hunter shouts as the big ominous doors slide open and he barrels inside with Tech at his heels.</p><p>The room is worse than he could ever imagine, the walls and floors are pulsing orbs of blue light behind glass coverings all leading towards a single stasis chamber, which looks for more like a coffin than a stasis chamber.</p><p>Echo.</p><p>He's never been surer of anything.</p><p>“Tech get that thing open.” Fives barks out and the spectacle wearing Bad Batch clone gets to work typing furiously on the control as the stasis pod hisses and groans as the lid pries off the hinges. When it finally lifts off a ghost falls out still suspended like a puppet barely holding onto it’s strings.</p><p>He swallows the vomit that crawls up his throat and for several seconds he’s caught in the sucking void of space where he can’t suck in a single gasp of air.</p><p>“We need to get him down, try and find a way to get him unhooked.” He says numbly as he stares at his brother muttering his CT number over and over again, he looks nothing like the brother he once knew. He’s more droid than clones and his skin is awful sickly grey as frost coats him from head to toe, he can sees every single one of his bones as they jut through his thin skin.</p><p>“Echo, what have they done to you?” He whispers brokenly as his malunited brother twitches and jerks in his arms. He’s afraid to even breathe on him less he falls apart in his arms, he’s fragile like he will shatter into a thousand tiny pieces at the wrong move.</p><p>“Fives…? You…you came back for me?” His brother asks desperately, he clings to him as if his life depends on him. As if he can’t believe that Fives is real.</p><p>“Yeah, of course I would come back for you, I shouldn’t have left you to begin with. Echo I’m so sorry.” Fives blabbers stupidly to his brother who only smiles at him. They have to get out of here.</p><p>“Tech any closer to getting him unplugged?” Fives demands as he clutches at his brother’s shoulders, Echo while a shell of his former self is solid and alive under his finger tips and he can’t name the intense feeling of euphoria even if tried, it’s beyond anything he’s ever felt.</p><p>“He’s good to detach.” Tech announces and the rest of the Bad Batch barrel in and begin to seal the doors.</p><p>“We are running out of time, we need to go now!” Hunter barks over his shoulder at them.</p><p>Fives gently nudges him to brace his body weight on the panels as he yanks the cords out of his brother’s body, just barely catching him as his weakened arms give out on him.</p><p>“You’re going to be okay brother, I promise, the Bad Batch inherited Jango’s bastard gene but their fine troopers, don’t have to worry about the walking into a shell casing like a tube wet shiny.” Fives jokes and Echo huffs a shallow laugh.</p><p>It doesn’t register in the moment when he’s barely holding back tears but later he will come to realize that Echo will be around to meet Feral and his children. He will be able to live whatever life he wants outside the war and watch his children grown and have some of his own.</p><p>“There’s a ventilation shaft up there, I can get it open.” Echo says with a wave of his hand and Fives nods and lifts his brother to the port where he clicks in with his mechanical prosthetic.</p><p>When they get back to Coruscant he’s going to ask Anakin to help get Echo set up with the best prosthetics he can get, and then he’ll probably(most likely) bully the Jedi into making them blue.</p><p>The ventilation shaft opens easily, and the Bad Batch is already below it firing their suspension cables into the anchor points through the opening without him having to say anything.</p><p>“Take Echo and keep him safe, I’m going to get rid of Wat Tambour’s little science experiment for good.” Fives shouts, the droids are trying to break down the second door and he feels the last few grains of sand slip through the hourglass. They’re out of time, Echo is out of their reach for now but none of them are out of danger yet.</p><p>They need to get out of the city and off the planet, only when Echo’s feet his Coruscant ‘soil’ will they be safe. They’re all waiting for him anxiously as he straps onto the last grappling cable, they’re so close, the charges are set ready to go off and he’s already half way to the ventilations shaft, the mission wouldn’t go tits up after all.</p><p>Everything had miraculously worked.</p><p>He can see Echo looking at him expectantly, waiting for him until he’s pulled through and Fives will never get tired of seeing that face ever again.</p><p>Even if it is his own face.</p><p>He’s too enamoured with the sight of his brother that when the hatch closes on his arm like guillotine, simultaneously severing his grappling rope and his arm to leave him plummeting to the ground, all he hears is the horrified scream of his brother shouting his name.</p><p>He plummets to the ground to the sound of the charges he has planted counting down and the agonizing pain of his arm missing from the elbow down.</p><p>He doesn’t know what is up or down, everything is a swirl of pain and confusion all set to the soundtrack of the rhythmic beeping.</p><p>He doesn’t even cry knowing he just saved his brother to die a stupid death, nothing else matters as he forces his way through the cracked doors that barely hold back his self made explosion, it catapults him back into the main foyer where they first came in from.</p><p>The explosion drops him right at the feet of Wat Tambour and his lackeys, though he can’t really be sure since the flash from the explosion and the incessant ringing in his ears makes everything seem like it’s under water.</p><p>He chokes out an agonized scream as someone stomps on the bleeding stump of his arm.</p><p>Torture, they’re going to torture him to death.</p><p>He’s going to break his promise to Feral, he’ll be heartbroken. Someone or something drags him away by his feet but the blood loss and obvious concussion make him so tired, he doesn’t even remember what caused him to fall. Maybe he would just die on the way to the prison block and avoid torture all together, hopefully they would be nice enough to cremate his body.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Let's Pretend A Little Longer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*Insert 1996 Mario sound of pain* So you may hate me haha, but I swear it gets better even if this chapter is full of heavy angst but I'm glad you are invested in my burning hell that my brain shit out at 3 in the morning haha.</p><p>This chapter is a little heavy so quick warning for: Torture and non-consensual groping ( edit also mention of suicide watch)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong> <em>EARLY MORNING:</em> </strong> <em> Cody</em></p><p>He’s a Marshal Commander, a clone given a rank made specially for himself that is almost equal to rank of a General, steadfast in any situation.</p><p>But what is a solider without a war? Who is he supposed to be now?</p><p>He isn’t a marshal commander, not really, not anymore, the war has been won, each day he becomes more engrained in civilian life, working at a desk (as a security consultant of all jobs )like any other civilian before going home to his shared apartment. Where he gets to coo over Korto and enjoy Khaleen’s company as she putters around their home stripping herself of her own work clothes as they ask each other how their respective days had gone.</p><p>The war ending so abruptly after Palpatine had been arrested and with the disappearance of Dooku following closely is highly suspicious but he’s not going to kick a gift horse in the mouth, this is the future that his men had dreamed of for so long. He wishes he had ended the war on a more positive mission rather than losing almost every single man he brought to the Citadel. But thanks to their sacrifice and with their victory they were able to find men who had been labelled MIA in droves with new resources and time that were not available before, to finally go looking for them and bring them home.</p><p>He hasn’t put on his plastoid armour in weeks, he’s finally let the uniform enjoy its retirement like he is, he knows it’s sitting in the footlocker in the closet collecting dust. Surprisingly, he doesn’t feel the itch to wear it anymore like he once did.</p><p>He knows the found brothers don’t replace the lives of those that didn’t make it, the ones he had lost on the countless battle fields they were thrown on.</p><p>Which makes sending his men out on dangerous missions now, all the more painful when they didn’t come back. The guilt is bitter when they die on his command now while he enjoys a polyamorous relationship and a life of normality. Soon they wouldn’t need to keep sending men out to clean up the galaxy but that soon isn’t soon enough.</p><p>He only sends men who know the risks, who have no dreams of being a normal civilian, their  breed of career army men don’t usually have people waiting for them at home. They collect together out in the field and make their own families, they protect each other so Cody doesn’t have to worry as much. He sends men who he knows will come back, that will  go back at with a feral grin at the sound of a challenge, going off to take down the next warlord or slave camp or weapons factory.</p><p>Some of his men didn’t know life outside of war or fighting and as long as they felt that they were where they needed to be, wanted to be, he could rest a little easier.</p><p>He knew the moment Havoc Marauder took off, taking Fives with them just as he was rebuilding his life after the loss of Echo had been a mistake. He should’ve never told Rex that the mission was occurring, he could take the hate and anger directed at him. But then Feral would still have someone to support him, Rex wouldn’t have to add another name to his prayer.</p><p>The ship touched down a day after than what was scheduled and he knew something was wrong the moment he approached them, how exhaustion seemed to hang off them. Their mission had been a success, they had retrieved Echo, but they had told him Fives had died, caught in explosion seconds before escaping as an emancipated Echo looks past his shoulder unseeingly.</p><p>Obi-Wan had carted Echo into the Temple shortly after, whispering to him that he would be well taken of, that he would tell Anakin and Rex, that he was sorry. He had left after embracing his numb body tightly. He liked Obi-Wan’s hugs, they were nice, warm and comforting, they seemingly whispered that it would all be okay.</p><p>He isn’t sure if it was the Force or just Obi-Wan that makes them like that.</p><p>The whole sequence of events leaves him standing in front of the apartment door feeling leagues out of his depth, he’s never had to comfort a pregnant person before, let alone tell them that their  partner is dead.</p><p>Nel opens the door with a wide smile on her face, it drops slowly as she sees who is standing on the other side, he gives her a small smile as she stares at him knowingly.</p><p>“May I come in?” He asks softly and she nods her head with a collapsing smile on her face, he can see how she bends her head to hide the tears that run down her face as she excuses herself to the kitchen.</p><p>He steals himself, it is not his time to collapse now, people need him, will need him.</p><p>“Feral, it’s good to see you I hope you’ve been well?” He asks as the Zabrak looks up from his breakfast.</p><p>“Something has happened, hasn’t it?” He whispers and Cody grimaces and nods his head, he bites his lip nervously as Feral looks out the window, starring into the horizon with a blank expression.</p><p>“Tell me, were they able to save his brother?” He asks after several long minutes of starring blankly at the sunrise.</p><p>“Echo is currently being treated at the Jedi Temple.” Cody replies, nervous about where the questioning would lead.</p><p>“Fives is dead, isn’t he?” The emotionless tone makes Cody panic. He knows putting the Zabrak on suicide watch would be jarring and he doesn’t want to jump to conclusions but at the end of the day,  he is going to protect his brother’s loved ones, even if it’s from themselves.</p><p>“I’m sorry Feral, he was caught in an explosion and the team couldn’t get to him, he’s gone.” Cody chokes out and he nods, he can see how the other man trembles faintly and his heart breaks further.</p><p>The kid had finally found a family and it had been ripped away. He meets his trembling hand as he reaches out and Cody does not hesitate to clasp the hand between his, he grips the hand tightly, wishing he could just suck the pain away.</p><p>“I knew, somehow I knew that before he left it would be the last time, I would see him…. Will you show me how to properly honour him in death?” Feral asks, voice barely a whisper.</p><p>“Of course, we will be here for you, you have a heart of brother, you are one of us beyond your own blood and we take care of our own.” Cody says desperately.</p><p>“Thank you, Cody. Would you like to stay for breakfast?” Feral asks softly.</p><p>“You want me to stay?” He asks, thrown for a loop.</p><p>“Yes, I just need things to be normal, just so I can pretend a little longer until I am ready to accept that Fives isn’t coming home.” Feral admits.</p><p>“Of course, I’ll stay.” Cody promises.</p><p>He’s never felt so old in his life as he chokes down sweet coffee as the three of them try to go on with life like a gaping hole didn’t exist.</p><p><strong> <em>TIME UNKNOWN</em> </strong> <em>: Fives</em></p><p>He itches at the inflamed flesh that has been crudely sealed to his new arm, even if it can be called that, its a vague resemblance of the bone structure of his missing arm. He wonders why they had even bothered giving him something he could use rather than cauterizing his stump. He knows they hadn’t wanted him to bleed out and die before they could torture him for information, and torture him they did.</p><p>He doesn’t know how much time has passed since he had been catapulted by his own explosion to the feet of his captors. He had lost the path of time after they tossed him into a cell after several rounds of electro-shock torture as they asked the same monotonous questions he got asked during the war.</p><p>He would try and tell them that he wouldn’t know the answers anymore since he isn’t a soldier anymore. But the last time he had tried to be smart with them they injected a viciously green liquid into his remaining arm that had made him convulse violently until he lost consciousness.</p><p>He wonders what they’ll do with him when they get bored, they’ll probably kill him. His fate is crushingly disappointing, but there is a fate worse than death, he would rather die than get shoved in the stasis coffin like they did to Echo, make him a mindless robotic slave.</p><p>But he isn’t smart like his brother, (his alive and free brother) he never sat in with him and Rex to discuss battle algorithms. He sat with Anakin and discussed the best ways to blow up frigates.</p><p>His arm itches, it has to be infected now, with the way it oozes and feels like a fire is burning up his limb. Soon the infection would right each his heart and maybe stop it for good, maybe they would just leave him to rot down here forever. No rescue is coming, the explosion made sure to make it seem like he is only a smear on the wall.</p><p>He doesn’t want to die, not like this, cold, alone and in pain. Far away from anyone who cares about him, he can’t cry over his fate, they only gave his food and water in long and asynchronous intervals. There’s no way to know when he would get his stale water and barely edible ration bars next. He can’t dehydrate himself by crying, they’re probably watching him, they probably want him to cry.</p><p>He's pretty sure if he did start crying he wouldn’t stop and the thought of wracking sobs traveling through his body hurts to think about. The electricity that they had pumped into him is different, sure electricity hurts in general, but this kind is different, more permanent. A startling numbness has started at his toes a few hours earlier and now he can’t feel anything from his knees down. His muscles feel frozen stiff, he wonders if the numbing sensation will suffocate him when his own chest crushes his lungs.</p><p>He wouldn’t put it past them to send his body back to Coruscant just to taunt the New Republic. The Techno Union is untouchable and vehemently refuses to fold into the New Republic, like they’re waiting for something. Like Dooku will crawl out of the shadows to reignite the Separatist movement all over again so they can continue taking advantage of ruined planets.</p><p>“Well, well, well what a fine specimen you have here? A little beat up but that makes my job easier, I won’t have to break him in before putting him to work. He already looks docile” Someone says from above his spot on the ground.</p><p>He wants to snap his eyes open and start growling at whoever is at his cell, but he can barely feel his own breath.</p><p>“I’m glad you are pleased with him, I’m sure you can see he is well endowed, you can use him for multiple purposes, I’m sure you will find the price we are offering is plenty fair.” Wat Tambour’s voice grates against his nerves and he grits his teeth as he slowly forces his hand to cover his crotch.</p><p>Being naked and tortured had been a humiliating experience he wishes he had not been privy too.</p><p>A staff slaps away the hand sheltering his cock as meaty, clawed hand grabs his face roughly.</p><p>He can barely open his eyes to see whose molesting him, he grunts and tries to bite at the hand when the buyer grabs his cock and squeezes it roughly. He barely holds back sound of shock.</p><p>“Feisty, he and his thick cock will serve my master well.” The voice trills and without warning he’s dragged from his cell and pulled against the stone floor. He’s glad he can’t feel anything in his numbed legs because he knows they are being shredded into ribbons by the rough treatment.</p><p>The world is getting hard and harder to focus on as blood oozes a trail behind his legs but he isn’t a fool, he knows he’s just been sold into a life of slavery. They made that apart obvious. He wouldn’t die in a  cell, but just live the rest of his life in a much larger one.</p><p>He’ll be dragged across the stars and he knows it’s going to be a fate worse than death to be a fuck toy to the next warlord. Maybe if he bites his tongue hard enough, he’ll bleed out fast enough that they wouldn’t be able to stop him drowning on his own blood. But before he can even enact his plan someone stabs a hypo in his neck and the fading world finally goes blessedly darker even if his animalistic instincts scream at him to fight sedation, uncomprehending that he can’t help but fall into the darkness.</p><p>The flashes of light from the outside world sear into his eyes and he uses the pain to excuse the real tears the slide down his face as he is thrown into the hull of a ship, never to be seen again.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Return to the Warriors of Old</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>:)<br/>also if you see me responding to your comments now I'm sorry I didn't earlier I didn't know how to respond :')</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>NIGHT:</strong> Maul</p><p>“I’m just saying how can we know that your brother isn’t feeding information to the New Republic about Death Watch?”  Bo-Katan hisses at his brother’s chest.</p><p>If he didn’t need Death Watch’s numbers, fighting prowess and loyalty he would kill the insufferable woman for her assumptions and then Pre Vizsla for ever considering such things about his distant brother. While he has never met the boy before, saying he would betray their familial bond is an insult worthy of death to him.</p><p>They are Nightbrothers, brotherhood is everything to them, he doesn’t expect some outside warrior clan with no loyalty to their own people to understand what family means to them. The woman is a good enough warrior that the fight might just be enjoyable enough to be worth watching. But his brother looks outright murderous and he doesn’t have the patience to sit next to him in another long meeting if he’s going to smell like entrails of another sentient.</p><p>The reformation of the New Republic is has lead to swathes of new neutral planets to bring into his fold, meaning they had to move on with this plans to undermine Mandalore before the neutral systems become too self assured in their own governments, now without the support of the Republic or Separatists.</p><p>Yet, here they were wasting time with the woman who is hellbent on picking fights with them. He thought the time he had her at his mercy would make the message clear that he could kill any of them with his will alone, but it seems that he is going to have to reteach the lesson again.</p><p>Faster than anyone can react, before anyone can process that a Zabrak the size Savage is can move that fast he has a massive hand crushed around Bo-Katan’s head and around Pre Vizsla’s throat and lifts them effortlessly off the floor, as if they weigh absolutely nothing. He doesn’t feel his brother’s muscles strain or tremble through the force nor do his joints crack or groan.</p><p>The Nightsisters had truly done their best to turn him into a monster whose only purpose was to kill. He’s glad Talzin had pitied her sons enough to bring them together even if loathes the Mother for what she had done to his brother. His brothers were his and his alone, no one would ever lay their hands on them again, Feral would come to him on his own time, it is only a matter of being patient.</p><p>The room is deathly quiet as they stand absolutely still with their weapons drawn to point at him and his brother, he doesn’t fight the urge to smirk as he doesn’t move from the lounge chair. He knows with a little more force Bo-Katan’s skull will cave in and Vizsla’s neck will snap, like their bones were twigs to Savage’s power.</p><p>While his brother’s rage is a siren call in the Force he’s going to have to reign in his brother, he doesn’t have the patience to find yet another army to use.</p><p>“Apprentice…” He tries but his brother doesn’t even twitch, the two Mandalorians have almost gone blue and lifeless in his grip, he sighs.</p><p>Even with all his loyalty, Savage has reclaimed himself as his own man after breaking free of the Sister’s influence. As the older of the two he has tendency to do whatever he wanted when he wanted even if he is the Master between the two of them.</p><p>Having a brother is more infuriating than he ever thought it would be.</p><p>“Savage, release them, they are still of some us to them and I’m sure they will remember to not insult our third brother again.” Maul says, mentally demanding his brother not to be <em>difficult</em>.</p><p>Savage growls lowly before dropping the Death Watch leaders on the ground to gasp in pain as the try to pull themselves way from the beast they have unleashed onto themselves.</p><p>“Now, I do believe we have a Council of Hutts to meet? If you are done insulting my brother, we can continue with our meeting? If I do remember correctly you wanted to usurp the Duchess this year?” Maul says with a bored sigh he knows grinds against Vizsla’s nerves, and the now less blue man scowls darkly.</p><p>He knows the bald man thinks he’s the one in charge, he can feel how badly Vizsla wants to kill him so he can win his men’s loyalty back. He has seen the way his once astutely loyal men now admire him and Savage for their ability to conquer, to kill and beat their opponents into submission and obedience.</p><p>Their pride has blinded them and while Pre Vizsla may have the inherent ability to gain people’s loyalty his small-scale thinking has made him a poor leader for a long-term organization. People can’t live in tents in exile for long before becoming disenfranchised with their leadership. Once he does kills Vizsla there are those among his ranks that he does hope to bring into his fold, there are men and women who are leagues ahead of Vizsla that they keep hidden under his leadership. He has plans to change their intrinsic loyalty to himself, but he had much pressing matters to attend to.</p><p>He has an empire to rise.</p><p><strong>NIGHT:</strong> <em>Jango</em></p><p>It’s a beautiful night, he fusses with Boba’s armour and cape, straightening the crooked beskar and askew fabric before he nods in approval at the solemn boy. He feels old, his back agrees.</p><p>Obi-Wan slides around him and places a hand on Boba’s cheek and he leans into the touch, sniffing softly as a tear trails down his face.</p><p>His baby boy is hurting and he doesn’t know what to say, his own words are stuck behind a painful knot of emotions in his throat. There is nothing he can say that will make him feel better, not this time. Sorrow is a feeling he is painfully familiar with, he has felt it plenty of times as family and comrades have died in his arms so he know words don’t help make pain any less sharp, the gaping hole that grief eats in you any less small.</p><p>Grief has almost eaten him out of existence, as he feels more like a ghost than a man.</p><p>He wonders what changed, he knows the turning point to when he turned his back on the Sith and the Separatists. But, he doesn’t know when he had the defining moment that made him think of the clones as his own even after all the years that he didn’t even give half a shit about them.</p><p>He knows Alpha still hates him for it, he has every right to. As much as he tries to pretend that he isn’t , he is their dead beat dad who didn’t show interest in them until they started being extraordinary</p><p>He knows he has clones that have no idea what to do with him or some who hate him for how he treated them like mindless cattle. He knows treating them like the humans they are, didn’t make up for the years abuse they suffered on Kamino, from him, from the long-necks, from the trainers.</p><p>Another regret he has to live with. The grey cape feels heavy on his shoulder, another name to stich into the cape.</p><p>He hopes he’ll never have to stich Boba’s name into it, he hopes to be nothing but dust in the atmosphere by the Boba has reached the end of his life.</p><p>“Are you ready?” Obi-Wan asks softly and Boba nods. The Jedi turns to him and gives him a brittle smile before placing a gentle kiss high on his cheek bone before pulling his cloak over his head.</p><p>It’s the same shade of grey as his cape, as per Mandalorian tradition it is only right to wear the colour of mourning for Fives’ funeral.</p><p>“Let’s go, it is almost time for the pyre.” Jango chokes and Boba grips his hand tightly as the three of them walk out of Obi-Wan’s room. The halls are dark and blessedly quiet as they make their way to the one of the highest balconies in the Temple.</p><p>The sky is peaceful, and they are high above the sounds of the city. The sun casts the last few rays of dying orange light across the sky, they streak through the inky horizon until eventually, they too are eaten by the night, flickering out and joining the inevitable darkness.</p><p>The pyre stands in the middle of the balcony, perfectly made as people stand silently around it. The don’t have a body to burn, a travesty in itself. Several Jedi stand intermingled with the other mourners like phantoms, all with their brown cloaks pulled over their faces. He see the Chancellor wearing a deep purple dress, the colour of grief on Naboo if he’s not mistaken as she holds her hands crossed over her lower stomach, it gives him pause for a moment.</p><p>He throws his thoughts away, it is no business of his own. Then he sees Feral standing still as a stone statue wearing a red robe with the hood pulled gently over his horns, he has the handle of Echo’s hoverchair in a white knuckled grip.</p><p>He can’t being to wonder how the kid feels and he settles himself quietly beside him as Obi-wan stands to his left, next to his former padawan. They share a meaningful look between themselves and Anakin shakes his head before looking away.</p><p>He keeps his eyes straight ahead, soon four men wearing the same grey cloaks arrive on the balcony shouldering a suit of armour on a decorative plank between them. As they walk closer he can se the faces of Rex, Jesse, Hardcase and Tup all looking stone faced and grief stricken as they lay Fives’ old phase-one armour on the pyre before Cody hands Rex an ignited torch.</p><p>They nod to each other and Cody grabs Rex’s his shoulder giving it a brief squeeze before letting his arm fall back into the cover his own cloak.</p><p>He can see his blonde clone sigh, mouthing something before as his face falls in despair, grimacing and igniting the pyre, he falls in between Skywalker and Amidala, they grip his hands the moment he settles comfortably between them. They face the burning pyre together, united against the grief of losing another a brother when they were all supposed to live happily ever after until they were old and couldn’t tell night and day apart anymore.</p><p>The pyre begins to rise far above them, as the armour starts to collapse in on itself from the heat of the insistent flame. He starts the chant, his Mandalorian is old and rusty but he has said the words over and over again to know them in his sleep. His clones follow his lead while the Jedi stand with their heads respectfully bowed, listening to the war cries and bellows of Fives’s triumphs and warrior prowess as they are shouted in their native language to the skies. They lift his warrior spirit to return him to their ancestors, the warriors of old will welcome another fallen son to their ranks.</p><p>He shouts until his voice fails him, his sons carry on without him. They are strong, they will survive the grief together, it will not destroy them.</p><p>Later they will feast and drink to Fives’ memory but for now they mourn what they have lost.</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A brief warning for a mention of suicide contemplation but it's very minor.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>EARLY MORNING:</strong> Padmé</p><p>“Padmé, we came as soon as you called, what’s wrong?” Anakin says breathlessly as he bursts into her office with Rex trailing behind looking tense and for a loss of words.</p><p>Sometimes she forgets that he’s still adjusting to them and sometimes she worries they make him uncomfortable between the two of them.</p><p>“Someone attacked the facility former Chancellor Palpatine was being kept in two rotations ago.” She says after taking a deep inhale.</p><p>“What! Why weren’t we informed about this? He could be hurt or in danger or dead!?” Anakin says angrily and she understands her husband’s anger, she does, but she kept this information from Anakin for a reason. Of course, she didn’t keep the information solely to herself, she told who she needed to tell up until this moment, where the evidence collected is now irrefutable.</p><p>She knows what the man means to him, he had meant the same thing to her until the investigation revealed that he was purposefully elongating the war and had purposefully been blocking bills to grant the clones citizenships, along with a long history of misusing funds and other corruption. To her, the day where he was carted away in handcuffs and had thousands of people shouting for justice was the day he was no longer was the kindly mentor that he had been to her all those years. Years of eating his lies after she had to abandon her family to become Padmé Amidala, Queen of Naboo at age 14.</p><p>She knows the man had been a father to Anakin, the little slave boy who had to leave his mother behind, the only person who had ever cared about him. Palpatine had swooped in at just the right time and had provided Anakin everything he needed, wanted and more.</p><p>Now that she thinks about how he had swooped in at just the right time and had been at Anakin’s side though all the strife and triumph as his kindly old man persona is now all the more suspicious. Especially with the haunting footage retrieved from the dying guard’s helmet.</p><p>She had sacrificed herself to reveal the truth and a fist of grief squeezes her heart, she had hoped that under her governing she could simply cease the unnecessary deaths of her hard working citizens, but she knows it is merely just a fantasy. A nice one, but still a dream unobtainable, as there will always be conflict within the galaxy even if she tries her best to prevent it, someone will always be unhappy.</p><p>“Anakin, I’m sure Padmé knows what she’s doing.” Rex says softly, yet firmly and she smiles at him in thanks as her husband deflates like a tired balloon as he flops into one of the office chairs.</p><p>“I’m sorry.” He mumbles.</p><p>“It’s fine Anakin, I didn’t want to tell you until I was absolutely sure.  From the footage recovered from the attack it seems like a group of unknown Sith warriors attacked the prison and broke into Palpatine’s cell.” Padmé says grimly.</p><p>“Are they holding him hostage looking for a ransom?” Anakin asks and she can hear how the chair creaks under his grip.</p><p>“Anakin, the Sith assailants worked for him.” She says as she activates the video footage, the office dims as the blue hologram becomes the only light source in the room.  </p><p>She really wishes that she isn’t the one that has to break his heart like this but she can’t keep the truth from, she won’t keep it from him.</p><p><em>“Master we are here to serve you, Lord Tyrannus is awaiting our arrival</em>.”  The hooded figure rumbles as they bow with the other hooded figures at Palpatine’s feet.</p><p><em>“Very well, I do believe you have already made the preparations?”</em> Palpatine says coolly and the hooded figures nod in a creepy unison.</p><p>A craggily smile crawls over his face and she has never feared the man but looking at the flickering blue hologram now invokes a desperate fear in her that clenches painfully around her heart.  Like he’s reaching through the hologram to crush the life out of her.</p><p><em>“Make sure you kill the guard watching us, I want no survivors.”</em> He says with almost an uninterested tone and the camera picks up the soft whimper of fear from the guard as the one of the figures converges on the lone survivor of the attack.  </p><p>They hear her panicked breathing as the figure ignites their red blade and brings it over their head as the guard pleads for mercy, a mercy that would never come as the figure brings the blade down with the power of a killer before the feed cuts out, leaving the room in a deathly silence.</p><p>The trio sit in complete darkness until the blinds fold up with a gentle whir of their inner mechanics working hard, letting blindingly bright sunlight in through the wall to wall windows once again.</p><p>“There has to be some mistake, an imposter, that can’t be him!” Anakin shouts suddenly as he stands, throwing his chair back, it clatters loudly in the office and Rex sits stock still in his own chair with a pinched expression.</p><p>“Anakin, I know what he means to you but how in the nine hells of Corellia could that be an imposter, there were no survivors left, the guards did a thorough search of the facility and did forensic checks on every single deceased person, there is no imposter and no chance that he had been killed in this attack. This is the man who has mentored us both throughout the years, and while I don’t want to believe it myself, it’s undeniable that he has aligned himself with the Sith.” Padmé says firmly to her panicking husband as Rex rises out his own seat to fix the toppled chair. With a heavy hand he eases Anakin back into his spot even as Anakin shoots him a dirty look and shrugs Rex’s hand off him.</p><p>Rex only sighs and shakes his head. She knows that the retired Captain wouldn’t hold Anakin’s anger against him, but she feels his tired sigh mirrored in her own soul.</p><p>“The Jedi Council will need to be informed, it looks as if he has a multitude of Sith assassin and warriors at his disposal, it looks as if he has been training them in secret for some sort of plan.” Rex says and Anakin nods jerkily.</p><p>“Anakin….” Padmé starts but he sakes his head and sets his mouth in a grim line.</p><p>“No, you’re right Padmé. I know you wouldn’t have shown us this unless you were absolutely certain, I apologize for doubting you. I will call a Council meeting immediately.” He says robotically as he ducks his head. He gets up from his chair once more without looking up and shuffling silently out of her office.</p><p>He worriers her sometimes. She can see the storm cloud hanging over his head as the door closes behind him.</p><p>She knew this wouldn’t be easy for him, but it still pains her to see him so betrayed.</p><p>“Rex, please keep an eye on him, Palpatine was a like a father to Anakin for much of his life and the next few days will not be easy for him.” Padmé says to Rex, who looks like he’s in the middle of eating the worst meal imaginable.</p><p>“I made an oath to always be at his side, it was my own oath that the Kaminoans and GAR had no part in, I make the oath to you not as a solider but as my own person, I promise to do anything in my power to be whatever you need me to be because I care for you and Anakin. I will make sure that he will not drown in his emotions.” Rex says firmly.</p><p>Without thinking and with her heart full she grabs the man’s face and pulls him forward in a deep kiss that he makes a surprised sound into before he melts into  the kiss as she drags her hands through his soft blonde hair.</p><p>They pull away somewhat breathlessly and he makes an embarrassed noise and ducks his head.</p><p>“Thank you, my Captain I adore you to the point where I feel like my heart may burst some days.” Padmé says with a smile and she giggles as he blushes hard.</p><p>“Now go find our third, I want to have a proper date night tonight, something nice to take Anakin’s mind off of brooding too much.” She says fondly.</p><p>“Of course, I will contact you soon Padmé.” Rex says before he slips out her office, leaving her alone with the mountain of work that has pilled high on her desk.</p><p>It’s time that she gets to work.</p><p><strong>TIME UNKNOWN:</strong> Fives</p><p>He tries to make himself small as he possibly can in the holding cell they threw him in with the other slaves on the spice ship as he tries to sleep. The collar around his neck feels heavy and seemingly drags his head down, if he wasn’t unsure if his arm is infected when he was on Skako Minor he’s sure now.</p><p>Black rot rolls up his flesh from where the cybernetic hand has been crudely put in place, he doesn’t know how long he’s been on the ship with its endless inky blackness. It’s almost impossible to tell the passage of time as they travel endlessly in space to work on spice production and delivery.</p><p>Jango has vaguely mentioned working on a spice ship as a slave, something that has always made Kenobi’s face crumple in despair, but the vague comments didn’t seem to capture how absolutely deplorable the experience has been. He’s contemplated ending his life more than once while on the ship as he stares at the rusting ceiling of the transport ship.</p><p>He restlessly tries to find a position that makes the throbbing pain of his body a little less bone rattling, he almost manages it. He almost finds enough peace between the moans and sobs of despair from his fellow slaves to drift into a somewhat restful sleep.</p><p>He is rudely interrupted when blaster fire rings throughout the hull of the ship followed by alarmed shouts from the Nikto slavers. As much as he wants to push his body into a battle-ready stance, he is so tired. The rot on his arm is making burn a fever that eats away at his strength in an agonizing slowness.</p><p>More blaster fire and more shouts and he knows how this story will go, the other slaves do as well as some cower in fear while others pound at the door in hopes of a rescue. They are either being saved, or they are simply being taken over by a far more powerful group of outlaws that will either kill them or become their new masters.</p><p>More blaster fire and the silence, absolute silence, if he had the energy to care he would. But currently keeping his eyes open is a struggle, so he just stays as still as possible while the commotion unfolds in front of him.</p><p>“Ah, a clone trooper? Far from home you are my friend.  You will sit up front with me, first class just for you.” Someone declares and the accent is so distinctive, so familiar in its flamboyance that he should know its owner like he would know the voice of a brother but the fog in his mind is thick and hard to navigate.</p><p>“Are you with me trooper? Come you cannot give up now, you can walk off your injuries.” They say again and he groans softly as he pries his eyes open to a blurry world of a Weequay crouching over him wearing a very distinct red coat.</p><p>“Hondo?” He mumbles and the pirate captain claps his hands together and breaks out into a wide grin.</p><p>“Ah my friend I’m glad you know of me, I have missed seeing your faces around. Can you stand if I help you?” The flamboyant man says and Fives grimaces and nods his head, the thought of standing is absolutely horrible but now that Hondo has seemingly come to his rescue his will to survive has been reignited with a new burning flame.</p><p>Hondo lifts him on the count of three and he bites his lip to keep himself from moaning in pain.</p><p>“Easy, easy, we will get you treated soon, free of charge even!” Hondo claims and he huffs a laugh.</p><p>“I would pay but I’m a little short on credits, you can bill it to the Republic.” He says between gritted teeth.</p><p>“Oh, my friend I do like you, I will send the bill to Kenobi!” He says much to jovially, the rest of the trip to Hondo’s ship is a blur and suddenly he is lying down and a med droid is peering at him and talking at him in the same bland tone that’s meant to be comforting, but just sounds like an emotionless butcher.</p><p>“Hondo, what is it? I hope you have a good reason to be contacting me, I really don’t have the time for your dramatics.” Says another familiar voice that comes through grainy but instantly relieving as the person speaks on the other side of the holocall. He may just cry hearing the voice.</p><p>“Kenobi, you wound me, I may have to send you my therapy bill. But I have someone you may be very interested in speaking to.” Hondo says before he thrusts the grainy blue hologram in front of Fives’ face and he blinks several times to get the shocked man into focus.</p><p>“Fives? I don’t believe it.” The older man says as he his jaw hangs open.</p><p>“Master Kenobi, it’s good to see you as well.” He jokes but grimaces at how dry and scratchy his throat is.</p><p>“Where are you Hondo?” Obi-Wan asks urgently.</p><p>“Kessel space, we are 72 hours out from Coruscant, I will have your man delivered to you in no time Kenobi!” He says.</p><p>“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but thank you Hondo, you have no idea what this means to me.” Obi-Wan says with so much emotion in his voice Fives could swear the pirate would be beet red if he was human, as he tries brush off Kenobi’s thanks with a stuttering grandeur.</p><p>The pirate captain is endearing and even with his history of being powered by greed, Fives can see even in his hazy reality as to why he has earned such a place in Kenobi’s circle.</p><p>“I will still be sending you a bill Master Jedi!” Hondo says as he walks away spouting his usual tales of grandeur as the med droids preps him for a bacta tank that has been pushed into the room.</p><p>He is going to live. For the first time in weeks, as he’s slipped into the chilled but soothing bacta he lets the pull of sleep drag him under after endless hours of trying to fight it.</p><p>He doesn’t fight it because he knows he will be home the next time he wakes.</p><p>Finally, he will be home.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Uh, I'm Home?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Late late late, I got a promotion at my work so the chapters will probably be coming a little slower because of my new workload but I finally managed to get this chapter done after a bit of a block as well.</p><p>A little CW there is descriptions of depression and suicide contemplation, it will be a bit of theme moving forwards as well as we continue into the new arc, there's also fucking at the end so I will see you next update if those two tings make you uncomfortable.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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    <strong>MIDMORNING: Feral</strong>
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</p><p>There’s a knock on the door, it’s not unusual, there’s been an almost endless train of people coming in and out of the apartment, from clones, to senators, to Jedi and an array of university students. He isn’t oblivious, he knows why they come often enough so that their apartment is never empty. He knows why he never has to ask for a lift to drag himself to campus.</p><p>Classes have restarted, he had been foolish to think that time would merely stop just because the father of his children and partner had died in a horrible fiery explosion. Physics would not simply study itself, raging at numbers until they made sense felt more productive than weeping into his bedsheets every hour of the day.</p><p>He knows Nel is infinitely worried about him, some days her worry and sad tearful eyes are worse than the memory of his brother’s hand around his throat. Nel didn’t need him weighing her down, going to Coruscant to studied had been her dream, she had made it, it’s unfair to her to constantly have to babysit her heavily pregnant friend too depressed to eat breakfast most days.</p><p>The word for the heavy sadness that has constantly weighed on him the moment Fives had left the apartment a month ago feels foreign on his tongue. Such feelings were never expressed or talked about on Dathomir. They mourned the dead one day and then continued to the next to be at the ready for any errant whim of a Nightsister who had the sudden urge to entertain herself with their flesh or spawn herself an heir.</p><p>Fives had left a gaping hole in his chest that sucks more and more of himself out of existence as the days pass, he feel more like a ghost than a person. He knows he has to be strong for his children, for their future. But thinking of birthing them and having no one to hold them close and cherish after they come into the world, to be alone during the birthing process that he knows he may very well die in only drags him deeper into despair. He sometimes fantasizes about just giving up, to just keel over after birthing his babies, he knows he wouldn’t be able to look down at them and not see what he lost.</p><p>But.</p><p>He shakes those dark fantasies away as soon as they crawl into his conscious thoughts, his babies deserved to at least to know one parent. They would never know Fives, but he wouldn’t rob them of the parental figures he and Savage never had, he wouldn’t rob them of the one thing he had dreamed of having. Savage had loved him enough to power an entire galaxy, but even then, something always felt empty in the house with just the two of them.</p><p>He would live not for himself, but for his children.</p><p>Sometimes he wonders if it is selfish to feel so sad over someone he had only known for less than a year, his brothers had known him for years and years yet they still managed to continue on. They continued to live and love the way Fives’ would’ve wanted them too while he falls apart. He feels like he’s failing Fives in a way, hot angry tears well into his eyes when his brain oscillates from utter despair to vicious self loathing at his pitiful state.</p><p>Nel’s scream from the apartment rips him from the bowels of the darkness that has been consuming for most of the morning. Like her sound of terror had been enough to bring him back to who he once was, as his instincts snap him back into the warrior he was. Even if the moment will be gone in the next it’s the pushing force he needs to scramble the best he can out of bed. Now that he has entered the last quarter of his pregnancy, he can’t simply brush off his extended stomach as weight gain anymore.</p><p>But even heavily pregnant that he is, no one would get away with ripping such a sound of terror from Nel, not while he’s still breathing.</p><p>Feral runs down the hall as fast as feet will take him and he rounds the corner with a snarl, ready to sink his claws into the person at the door. Only to nearly choke on his own tongue as he sees who Nel has collapsed onto as she sobs into the fabric of a thin tunic covering a very shocked looking Fives, it’s hard to know what he’s most surprised to see as he stands there speechless.</p><p>“Um, I’m home?” Fives says questioningly and it takes all his will power to not run away screaming.</p><p>He’s not sure if his fucked brain would come up with such an elaborate illusion like the one, he is seeing now. Even if it is one he’s not going to purposefully try and break out of it, he’ll enjoy his little fantasy for as long as it lasts, as unhealthy as that is.</p><p>“Do I get a welcome home kiss?” Fives asks as he limps into the apartment, his hand preoccupied by a a crutch which is probably why he had looked so awkward as Nel had thrown herself onto him, missing an arm would also explain the awkward way he holds himself.</p><p>“I’m all yours.” He croaks, wincing at how rough his voice is.</p><p>He still can’t believe that what he is seeing is real but as Fives creaks closer and closer, takes up more space in the apartment he lets him self to really hope that this isn’t a hallucination. Fives looks like fate had dragged him across hot coals personally, he can’t bring himself to categorize all of his injuries or the way he looks a breath away from collapsing.</p><p>He just enjoys the heat of the man’s skin as it seeps through his thin shirt, he enjoys the scrape of beard against his fingers as he cups his jaw, the feel of his lips against his even if they are split and chapped.</p><p>“You smell awful.” Feral says as he wrinkles his nose, it’s true he really fucking smells bad.</p><p>Fives laughs and he could swear nothing has sounded better than the wheezes that rumble out of Fives’ chest.</p><p>“I love you too.” He replies simply before dragging him in again for another much-needed kiss.</p><hr/><p>“I can’t stay for long, it took a lot of begging and badgering on my part to be able to come here but I have to go into bacta for a while, I just wanted to see you first.” Fives says as Feral tugs him down he hall to the bathroom, never did he think he would see the light blue walls of the apartment or the kitchen where he almost gutted an entitled brat in again.</p><p>He’s not exactly look forward to being stuck in a tank for an uncertain period of time but at least now he knows that he’ll wake up to brothers waiting and ready to care for him. Gone was the prison ship and thinking that every moment would be his last, he’ll have to find away to thank Hondo soon.</p><p>He is safe, he will see his children and grow old with his brothers.</p><p>“I thought so, a bath might make you feel a little more real before they dump you in the goo.” Feral say with a grimace which makes Fives chuckle.</p><p>“Not a fan of the amazing, overpowering smell of pineapple?” Fives asks and Feral only gags as a response.</p><p>“I’d rather be drugged into oblivion than spend anytime in a tank.” Feral responds as he gently pulls Fives into their bathroom.</p><p>“Now, strip, I wasn’t joking when I said you fucking reeked, I also don’t know how to feel about this new shaggy look.” Feral says as he runs his hands through Fives’ lengthened hair and full beard.</p><p>“I might keep the beard, I feel dignified.” Fives says with a waggle of his eyebrows, his suggestive insinuation makes Feral scoff and smack his ass playfully. He can’t hold back the moan of surprise if he wanted too and he clamps a hand over his mouth, beet red.</p><p>“Hmm? What was that?” Feral asks teasingly as he grabs a handful of Fives’ ass and squeezes the flesh, making him squeak.</p><p>He knows that they’ll have more to talk about, probably along drawn out talk about their feelings that would lead them sobbing or blubbering by the end. But for now they can enjoy the distraction of desire as it steams up the room with a thick heady heat, mixing with the steams missing off the bath water.</p><p>“I love you?” He tries saying but Feral only smirks and grips his hips in a possessive hold that makes him blush harder.</p><p>“How about, if you’re good I can help you with your little problem.” Feral says as he drags a thumb a across his straining erection, it tents the fabric of the loose linen pants they had slipped him into before he was allowed to leave his medical fussing over.</p><p>“I can be good.” Fives nearly whines, which only makes Feral smirk harder as he slowly inches down the fabric. His knees buckle slightly as Feral lowers himself to the ground, pulling the pants down the rest of the way down, ghosting a puff of warm air over his painfully hard cock as he bends lower.</p><p>His body nearly begs to be touched after a month of pain and he does whimper as Feral sucks and tongues the head of his cock until his hips unintentionally buck forwards, pushing just past his plush lips and onto the soft, wet pad of his tongue.</p><p>“Hmm, now that isn’t good boy behaviour is it? How about you get in the bath trooper and I ride you until you can’t think straight.” Teases Feral as he rises to his feet, nipping along Fives’ neck as he whispers his fantasy into his imagination.</p><p>Fives nods fervently and almost trips on his pants before he settles himself into waist deep water, the warm water feels like a full body painkiller as it seeps away his surface level aches and pains.</p><p>Feral slips in after him and locks his knees over his hips and settles himself so that Five’s cock rubs invitingly between his cheek. It’s too much and he bites his lip to hold in a groan as the head of his cock snags on his hole. His head falls back and Feral wastes no time in sucking a mark just left of his Adam’s apple that makes his hips twitch upwards.</p><p>Knowing that the man over him is fat with his children also stirs something deep in his gut that makes him want to flip him over and rut into him until he’s moaning out in unadulterated pleasure. Until he doesn’t know anything but how his cock feels while it’s splitting him open. The thoughts make his duck his head and blush, instead turns his attention to the intricate tattoos that pattern his partner’s chest. Trailing his tongue along the points and swirls of dusty maroon, making Feral moan and tremble in his lap as he continues the path teasingly over his nipple before laving it with attention.</p><p>“Give me your hand.” He says shakily and when Fives obeys, and he squirts a liberal amount of lube on his fingers, he smirks and suck a mark into Feral’s chest before easing one, then two fingers into him. Swirling them around until he shouts a sound or surprised pleasure and grinds down, desperately searching for the angel that will have his fingers rubbing into his prostate again.</p><p>“I want more.” Feral whines into his neck.</p><p>“I don’t want to hurt you.” Fives replies with a wheeze, and the Zabrak bites him stubbornly.</p><p>“You won’t now, hold you dick steady. I’m going to fuck you into next year.” Feral says with a groan as he lines himself up with the head of his cock and sinks down slightly.</p><p>Fives groans through his bitten lip and moans openly when Feral lowers himself so slowly, torturously slow as his cock is slowly enveloped in tight, hot, wet walls that pull every nerve down his body to his cock to feel how good Feral feels as he opens up, fluttering around his cock.</p><p>He has to repeat every single regulation to keep himself from shooting off the moment Feral starts to wriggle in his lap, grinding his cock deeper into the divine heat of his core. All he can do is stare open mouth in awe as pleasure has made him braindead to anything else.</p><p>He moans desperately, gripping Feral’s hip tightly as the man does exactly what he said he would, as he rides him into next year, he can only thrust up a few centimeter to meet Feral as he comes back down to his lap with high pitched moans of pleasure.</p><p>He can only hold on desperately and it’s so overwhelming that he doesn’t see until he’s close to his own orgasm that fat tears trail down Feral’s cheeks.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I love you, I promise I won’t leave you for anything else, I promise.” Fives babbles and Feral can only choke on a moan as he nods his head and rides him faster.</p><p>The slick heat travels up down and his cock, squeezing him just right. He wraps his hand around for Feral’s cock and his partner must have been close since as soon as he trails a thumb over the leaking slit of his cock he comes in heavy spurts and a stuttering moan. Squeezing Fives to the point of pain which has him releasing deep inside of the Zabrak with a choked moan.</p><p>Their panting breaths ring loudly in the bathroom and the water sloshes around the tub as they come down from their highs, Fives basks in the glory of his own livelihood, glad to have finally be reunited.</p><p><em>“If your spunk clogs the drain you two fucks are paying for the plumbing bill!”</em> Nel shouts through the door before stomping away.</p><p>You know, fair enough.</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. If It's The Last Thing I Do</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey y'all my upload schedule is been a little wack, lockdown has been a little rough so I haven't been feeling all too motivated with my writing but here's to hoping that I get all my fics updated this week!</p><p>In some 'not exactly cannon sources Savage is 35 so that's the age I'm going with, it makes sense tbh. </p><p>TW: mentions of past dubious consent/non-con and imbalanced power dynamics in between partners, going along with the theme of the Nightsisters being a weird cult that keeps men as breeding livestock so take that for what you will.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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    <strong>EARLY MORNING: Savage</strong>
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</p><p>Pre Vizsla is dead, he can’t say he is going to mourn the man, the Duchess is locked away and Mandalore along with the Death Watch members that worship them like gods are theirs without competition. All the pieces that Maul had set into place are coming together and with Almec as their puppet leader none would be the wiser. The public and the rest of the galaxy will eat up the story of a good Samaritan who had defended his planet only to be killed by the Duchess for his efforts, labeling her as a criminal and traitor to Mandalore.</p><p>Even while rolling around in garbage with half a body for over a decade Maul had not lost any of his wit, his plan had come together perfectly. Even so, the minor hitch of Bo-Katan allowing her xenophobia to rule her actions and become their newest enemy, they will be dealt with in time, the longer they remained the shadow rulers over Mandalore the more people would come to despise Bo-Katan and her Nite Owls. They will perish much like Pre Vizsla did, much like the Duchess will, that is, if she doesn’t rot in the cells before Kenobi comes.</p><p>Maul is sure of it, the Jedi will come swooping in to try and save his old lover, it is only a matter of time before everyone moves into the places Maul has already laid out for them.</p><p>It’s early morning and he’s enjoying a bed that’s finally large enough to hold all of him, he takes what little time he has to himself to enjoy it, it’s still too earlier to scare criminals and terrorists back into line. By the sounds of it the Black Sun is still sore about him killing their entire council, they will learn their place eventually in Maul’s chain of command eventually, if it takes him visiting Mustafar a few more times he won’t be surprised. They operated in the shadows for their own cowardly reasons, he didn’t expect them to be overly smart either. They would learn or they would die.</p><p>He's tempted to roll over and fall back asleep, prison didn’t offer the most humane environments to sleep in.  Proper rest had not come to him for the few days he was kept in the starkly lit glass cube that he had been thrown into after his “arrest” an act that had turned into his actual arrest after Vizsla’s betrayal. Any time he had tried to rest or mediate they had electrocuted him, something that had only served to remind him of his time under Dooku. At least the cruel old man had given him a lavishly large room on Serenno after he had been gifted by Mother Talzin. The luxury of living as an object of filthy rich warlord still didn’t beat back the muscle spasms or cramps of angry nerves ignited by phantom pains.</p><p>“Savage, I was unaware you had reproduced.” Maul voice chips dryly over his comm-link sitting in his bed-side table.</p><p>What?</p><p>“Whatever do you mean?” Savage asks as he picks up the comm, it is currently too early for the day to become a complete shit show.</p><p>“Come to the throne room, there is a woman here that claims to be your daughter.” Maul responds sounding suspicious and none too amused. Probably thinking he has held secrets from him, like Savage couldn’t have things that are his own, yet a daughter or child is completely out of the question.</p><p>“I’m on my way.” He replies with a heavy sigh, so much for sleep.</p><p>He has a daughter?</p><p>He doesn’t like to dwell on the reluctant times he had dragged himself to the Sister’s dorms for a coupling he had no say in that were borderline violent at times. No child could be conceived in the ways the sisters had mated with him, he was not their partner, merely an attractive body to gain pleasure from.</p><p>He especially doesn’t think of the time a sister had caught him alone on a hunt in the southern swamp, of how the mud had clung to his clothes and skin as the sister pushed him into the ground-. He shakes those thoughts away, it didn’t help him grow stronger to dwell on the days where he was a weaker man, even if he had still full control over his mind in those days.</p><p>What was done could not be undone no matter how many late nights he mourned for those times again. Feral lives a perfectly healthy, normal life without him on Coruscant, they no longer need each other. Maul needs him, even if doesn’t think so, Savage will not leave his brother to his own devices again, he has seen what happens when Maul is left alone. His red brother will most likely not survive another downwards spiral into madness, his mind is unhinged at its most stable.</p><p>Leaving Maul isn’t an option.</p><p>He doesn’t bother with his armour, he just doesn’t want to. He throws on loose pants and debates about a shirt before shrugging to himself and summoning his cloak to his hand before throwing it over his shoulders.</p><p>He’ll settle the mystery daughter issue and then start the day on a better note.</p><p>Death Watch members stare at him as he storms through the halls, he isn’t sure how fast the news has spread through the ranks and it’s the reason for their staring or they’re just fantasizing about bedding him. With an actual bed maybe he’ll say more then three words to a little Mando who impresses him so he can bring him back to his room to fuck their brains out.</p><p>Maybe.</p><p>The throne room is as it’s always been for the past few days. Littered with ruble and droids reconstructing the glass walls and ceilings, while other work to fill in the blast holes and buff out the scorch marks on the smooth marble.</p><p>The usual lieutenants stand stock still by Maul’s throne, he can feel the shock coming off them in waves along with Maul’s mild curiosity. However, there is a new addition to the throne room, a woman about just a year shy of her second decade, she wears the attire of an exiled Nightsister, instead of the blood reds, they are pale blue and grey.</p><p>Another striking feature are her horns, Nightsisters rarely if ever had horns, the result of a genetic mutation and selective breeding. But they were the same pattern even with the lack of dorsal horn, as his. If that weren’t enough to prove some sort of lineage, her facial tattoos would’ve made a blind man see that they were related, he feels as if he’s staring at a mirror image of himself in another life.</p><p>As soon as her pale gold eyes land on him he immediately regrets forgoing wearing a shirt and he holds back from wrapping the cloak around his bare chest self consciously.</p><p>“Father, when my mother spoke of you on Iridonia she didn’t mention how big you actually are.” The woman says as she drags her eyes from his boots to the tips of his sliced horns, he fights back the urge to feel self conscious again, the Sisters no longer own him and this could merely be a psychological trick.</p><p>“I wasn’t aware I had a daughter, how old are you girl?” He asks, he knows Maul is watching from his throne calculating a multitude of outcomes and possibilities.</p><p>“19 standard years, my mother said that you were young when I was conceived, she had become disillusioned with the Nightsisters and had not wanted her child to be raised as a slave if I were to be a boy, she left the order to birth and raise me on Iridonia.” The young woman explains.</p><p>“Why leave Iridonia, you owe no debt to me, how did you even know to come to Mandalore?” Savage questions as he steps further into the throne room.</p><p>He knows who her mother is, he tries not the cringe away, he had been merely a teenager. The sister had been one as well but even with his growing strength she had still held all the power as she had taken him into her. He still doesn’t know why she had chosen him</p><p>He hadn’t even thought that a child could be possible for him at that age as he stumbled back home to Feral empty handed and disorientated. Yet, here his supposed daughter stands, for some reason.</p><p>“My mother carried a deep guilt over the way she treated you Savage, she has long since passed I have come to take my place to serve under you, if you will have me.” His daughter says.</p><p>“If that is what you truly want to do, I will allow it, however I will not accept your assistance if it is only to atone for events the preceded your birth, your mother was only following the way she had been taught on Dathomir. I will not hold it against her, leaving the sisters and raising you as well as she did is enough. But your servitude will not grant your mother my forgiveness.” Savage replies, he feels curious eyes on him and he’s not sure how much Maul really knows about the old ways of Dathomir after being ripped away so young.</p><p>“What is your name girl?” Maul asks suddenly piping up from his throne.</p><p>“Ven’ack, I was not aware that another Nightbrother fought along side my father, red skinned Nightbrothers are rare, I thought only Mother Talzin had given birth to one.” Ven’ack says with a tilt of her head.</p><p>“I am Maul, Savage is my brother.” Maul explains but Ven’ack only frowns deeper and brushes a white braid back over her shoulder from where it had fallen.</p><p>“My mother did mention a brother, but no one named Maul, what of Feral? The soft-hearted brother?” Ven’ack asks as she nods along with the information.</p><p>“He will join us in time, for now a spar to test your skills niece of mine, we must ensure you are skilled enough to survive our empire after living on Iridonia for so long.” Maul says motion his daughter to follow him down the hall, obviously headed towards the gym.</p><p>All he can do is are numbly as the young Zabrak woman follows Maul with a cocky tilt of her chin.</p><p>He has a daughter.</p><hr/><p>
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    <em>LATE EVENING: Jango</em>
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</p><p>“Where are you going?” Obi-Wan asks impatiently, he had left the man standing at the door silently huffing for the past few minutes as he continues to pack like the man hasn’t been waiting for his acknowledgement.</p><p>“Mandalore of course, you really don’t think you’re going to back to that dust ball to stop a coup all by yourself, are you?” Jango replies like he is trying to explain to Boba that no he can’t go on his own solo missions yet.</p><p>“I didn’t think that you were still invested in what happened to Mandalore.” Obi-Wan replies with a sigh, if the Jedi wants to play the game of ‘who can risk their life in extravagantly stupid ways’ Jango will put all his credits down.</p><p>“I don’t, that place has long been unrecognizable to me, but that doesn’t mean I’m letting you go into a highly volatile situation without back up, the same way you wouldn’t let Anakin go into the fray without backup. Don’t look too deep into my reasoning, it’s pretty boring.” Jango replies as he checks over his ammo packs</p><p>“I’m not going to personally interfere with their political strife, Satine called for my help so I intended to go alone and perform a simple rescue mission.” Obi-Wan replies tightly and Jango finally looks up from his pack to the twisted angry expression on the Jedi’s face.</p><p>“Oh.” Jango replies dully, he knows his lack of infliction in his voice and reinforced mental walls is only baiting the Jedi further into anger.</p><p>“This is why I didn’t tell you, I know you have your misgivings about Satine but she is a dear friend and I cannot ignore her cry for help. This mission is barely sanctioned by the Jedi and was supposed to remain a secret. I am going to Mandalore and you are staying here with Boba. I will not have you risking your life for something you do not believe in.” Obi-Wan snaps, finally cracking against Jango’s uninterest.</p><p>“Do you really think that little of me?” Jango asks honestly as he inspects the paint on his beskar, it would need a touch up soon. He looks up to see Obi-Wan with his mouth open, frozen in shock like Jango had hit him.</p><p>“Whatever do you mean?” The Jedi stutters out.</p><p>“What I mean is that do you really think that I would not go along with your plan to save a woman you still obviously have feelings for because I would feel threatened? Obi-Wan, unless you plan to go to Mandalore to fuck Satine why would I care? Do you truly believe I have time for petty jealousy? I have no ill will towards the woman only asking for help.” Jango says with a deep frown and the Jedi has enough humility to look embarrassed as he hangs his head.</p><p>“It’s just, I thought…” He mumbles.</p><p>“You didn’t think anything Obi-Wan, just because Anakin has a possessive streak parsec wide doesn’t mean everyone else in your life does, unlike your gangly student I have the power of complex and critical thinking. I’m going with you because you are not an immortal being and these people will tear you limb from limb. Maul is still out there, and he will kill you if he gets his hands on you again, what makes you think that he isn’t behind this as well?” Jango says icily and Obi-wan flinches.</p><p>“You think he would go that far?” Obi-Wan asks, Jango rolls his eyes when the Jedi goes for the easiest topic discussion. He doesn’t necessarily blame the red-head, he’s baring all of Obi-Wan’s misgivings like a buffet, of course he would go for the easiest thing to swallow.</p><p>While a Jedi, he is still a man capable of all of humanity’s failings.</p><p>“Why wouldn’t he? He’s hellbent on killing you, and he has shown in having no regard for human life as long as it gets you out of the woodworks. Mandalore is an easy target and from what I’ve heard in the underworld all the crime families have banded together under a new ruthless leader. He has the resources and now a planet to build and empire he wants, you know as well as I do that it’s not completely unbelievable.” Jango says walking closer to his lover.</p><p>“You’re probably right, if I had gone alone then he would’ve used Satine against me. I’m sorry, I should’ve trusted you, it’s just that…” The Jedi trails off.</p><p>“You don’t have to explain everything to me. I understand Obi-Wan.” Jango murmurs.</p><p>“I do love you, you must know that.” Obi-wan replies taking another step forward and pulling Jango into an embrace.</p><p>“I love you too, which is why I’m coming with you, I wasn’t there to back you up the first time, there’s no way I won’t be there this time.” Jango says before kissing his cheek.</p><p>“Okay, I’m guessing you’ve told Boba? I was planning on leaving within the hour.” Obi-wan asking brushing Jango’s thick hair back.</p><p>“I’m ready to go when you are.” He replies simply.</p><p>He has a second reason for wanting to go, other than the obvious that Obi-Wan doesn’t need to know about. If things do go to shit and things do fall apart, he’ll throw himself into the fray so that Obi-Wan can escape with the Duchess, while he holds little love for her, he’ll keep Obi-Wan out of Maul’s hands if it’s the last thing he does.</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Fucking Palpatine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
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    <strong>MORNING: Feral</strong>
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</p><p>“…Feral? Is everything okay?” Fives whispers as he hugs him from behind. The sun slowly climbs sleepily from the eastern horizon in a sleepy rise.</p><p>It was a good question, he should be fine, but he isn’t. Fives is back and officially cleared on all medical tests to return to their apartment and Chancellor Amidala had been kind enough to give him a few weeks leave to recover before returning to his position as her personal guard.</p><p>He had passed all his university exams with flying colours, his babies are healthy as they continued to grow inside of him and he’s had all the support he could ever need. Still, the question remained, why was he so unhappy? He wants so badly to be happy but as each day passes the invisible weight only seems to drag him further into despair.</p><p>He's irrationally furious with the sun for blinding them with early morning light that is far to cheerier for how he feels. Has everything finally caught up with him? Has the numbness of the past 8 months finally torn him open? Why is it, when his life is probably at the best it ever had a chance to be his demons from the past choose now to tear him down. After moments of heavy silence and no answer and turns over and snuggles as far as he can into Fives’ chest that he can, albeit it isn’t much with his stomach causing an obtrusive barrier.</p><p>None the less Fives still wraps his arms around his upper back, he wants to say that he’s fine, but he says:</p><p>“I miss Savage, I miss the Nightbrothers, I miss my home. I’ll never be able to play remembrance to my fallen kin, my children will never know why I loved Dathomir, they’ll never know the brother who I loved more than anything. I have everything I always dreamed of having but I ache for the ways things used to be, life was hard on Dathomir but it had been so simple before the Sister had shown her face and now I live a lie that I don’t deserve.” Feral says, all his doubts spilling out as he feels his eyes well with tears.</p><p>He misses Savage like he would miss a limb.  Fear of his brother had carried him through the months, the fear of what his brother has become, the twisted animalistic monster that had snapped his neck while berating him.</p><p>That figure had haunted his every step as he ran from the only home he had ever known but now as it became apparent that he would never cross his brother again. As it became apparent that Savage would never come after him to finish the job like he had feared, the feelings of fear and terror had been replaced with a sucking loneliness.</p><p>A loneliness that makes him incomprehensively angry.</p><p>He misses his brother, but he never wants to see him again.</p><p>He loves him but hates him for everything he’s done.</p><p>He wants to rage and yell at the idiot for sacrificing himself. The Sister should have never shown her face to unleash her horrors on them, there’s no conflicting emotions that surround her, just unadulterated rage. He would rip her very head from her shoulders if he ever saw her again even if he knows she would cut him down in the process. But he knows if he could inflict the same pain she has caused him then maybe the crushing weight would be lifted.</p><p>“Do you want to talk to someone about what you’ve been feeling?” Fives asks softly.</p><p>He knows Fives only means well for him, only what’s best for him. In all the months that they’ve been living together as co-dependent partners, he can’t remember when Fives has done something intentionally hurtful.</p><p>But.</p><p>He still shoves Fives away and angrily crawls out of bed.</p><p>“You think I’m crazy don’t you?!” Feral hisses, feeling unreasonably betrayed by Fives’ reaction.</p><p>Why couldn’t he pat him on the back and tell him to move on, like what the Nightbrothers would do.</p><p>There was no time to be weighed down by sadness in the village, not when they had to be at the ready to serve the Sisters or prepare for the harsh season on Dathomir. They couldn’t waste their manpower on having brothers die just because they starved during the winter months.</p><p>“I never said that.” Fives says calmly, raising a hand in a surrendering gesture.</p><p>“Then what are you saying Fives? Are you worried that I’ll go crazy and kill our babies, do you want to put me into some mental asylum where I spend the rest of my days in a padded cell? My brother killed me, I was banished from my home, I thought I would be stuck as a single parent from a drunken hookup, an entitled maniac tried to ruin my life and you were declared dead for an entire month! So yeah, I’m a little sad but I’m still a Nightbrother, it is not in my blood to talk about my fucking feelings.” He knows he's near shrieking now, tears had started to pour down his face mid-rant and he rubs at them furiously.</p><p>He's an embarrassment to his kin.  He chokes on the air he tries to drag into his lungs, sobs wrack his body as he collapses forwards. Instead of hitting the floor like he should have his horned head makes contact with Fives’ muscled chest.</p><p>He tries to wheeze an apology past his sobs but he feels Fives shake his head.</p><p>“You don’t have to apologize for anything. I understand where you’re coming from, I do. It’s been unfair to you to expect you to be fine after everything that has happened. I want you to talk to somebody, please for your own sake. This isn’t something you can walk off trust me, I’ve seen brothers take their own lives when they didn’t get the help they needed. I almost broke after Echo was caught in the explosion. I know how you feel, I really do. I just want you to be okay.” Fives whispers into his ear as he sniffles like a lost child.</p><p>“The Jedi have people who can help you sort through what you’re feeling. I would never lock you away. I want you to be as happy as I am when I get to wake up next you.” Fives continues to whisper.</p><p>He takes a big shuddering breath and releases it slowly. The babies settle as well, they’re less ferocious with their kicks now that his breathing is even, they’ve never liked sudden movements.</p><p>“Can I think about it..? Maybe go tomorrow? I don’t know if I have the energy to talk about anything else right now.” Feral whispers back slumping further down.</p><p>“Of course, we can just rest for now, I won’t push you to do anything you want to do.” Fives replies and Feral turns his head to kiss his neck in a silent thank you.</p><hr/><p>
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    <strong>VERY EARLY MORNING: Rex</strong>
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</p><p>“You look worried.” Rex says as he looks at Padme’s hunched posture as she sits at her desk.</p><p>It’s early, far earlier than the normal workday should be, either she hadn’t slept from her late night the previous day or she had silently left the apartment to arrive at the senate to start work long before the sun had risen. Rex doesn’t know which is more worrisome, she had been working non-stop ever since they saw the holo-footage of the prison Palpatine had been confined too.</p><p>Something big was going to happen, Palpatine wouldn’t go quietly, from the way things looked, he is out for blood and he seems to have a taste for the New Republic. The title of Admiral is still new and foreign to him, given to him as all of Palpatine’s closest followers and allies were wiped from the records. He was glad to see many of them go, but it meant hundreds of new openings that needed to be filled in the new Republic’s army.</p><p>In fact, the entire military had to be completely rebuilt from the bottom up once the clones had been honourably discharged.</p><p>In the simplest of terms, they would be defenceless against a full-scale attack, or whatever Dooku and Palpatine had planned. He’s going to have to start throwing his title around to get the nat-born rookies in line if they are going to survive any kind of fight. He’s seen the new recruits often enough when he leaves the apartment to do his day job, a good handful have talent and the others have spirit but neither alone will be enough. They are nothing close to the clones that were pumped out of Kamino, but they aren’t hopeless.</p><p>He's unsure if Padme has shared the video footage with anyone else, they needed to be careful in what they chose to show people. Showing it to the public could cause the government to collapse entirely, distrust in their newly formed government is the las thing they need. He has a sinking feeling that Palpatine and Dooku had let themselves be filmed.</p><p>If he had been Dooku’s Master all this time and if Dooku had left the Order over ten years ago, then it would be safe to assume that Palpatine had been a Sith long before entering politics. He and Dooku had probably been leading the galaxy astray all this time.</p><p>Rex intentionally ignores what that means for his own existent (one problem at a time soldier).</p><p>The fact stands that Palpatine knew what he is doing. If Padmé showed the footage to the public it would cause a wave of mass distrust and possible disassembly of the current New Republic, and if she didn’t show it…</p><p>Well, then it would probably yield the exact same result.</p><p>Palpatine has pushed them into a no-win situation, especially since he still has sympathizers and supporters among the new conjoined galactic senate. There is still a common unsated distrust among those that now have to get along and he fears that the new government may fall before it even has a chance to thrive all from one man’s devious agenda.</p><p>Which begs another question, what is Palpatine’s goal, he obviously craved power but Rex still feels like he’s missing something very important, or someone very important.</p><p>He feels violently ill all of a sudden.</p><p>“Probably because I am worried. Anakin’s been acting different ever since we saw that footage, you’ve probably noticed…He’s…Angrier, at the galaxy at himself, I know he wouldn’t take seeing the footage well with how Palpatine was such a mentor and supporter for him…I’m just worried he isn’t telling us everything.” Padmé replies with a tired sigh, bags drag her eyes down and it looks like she has two black eyes.</p><p>“Come home early, I think he should be back from his trip Illum soon, I hope the time away did him some good but we’ll greet him and whisk him away to the apartment before he has time to brood, I have your six no matter what Padmé, I’m here to take care of you too and you know as well as I do that you can’t run a democracy if you run yourself into the ground. You look exhausted, the Republic needs, you, me and Anakin need you and neither of us like seeing you like this.” Rex pleads and he can see her deflate, sinking down into her chair before tearing up.</p><p>“I know, I know and I love you for that Rex, I really do, it’s just so much seems to be happening all at once and I feel like I’ve been tasked with moving mountains and I…It’s just that….” Padmé says trailing off, Rex is already halfway across the office to wrap her up in a hug.</p><p>“What is it?” He whispers as she sniffles.</p><p>“Rex, I’m pregnant.” She replies softly.</p><p>It is then Rex discovered that you can still get sucked out of an airlock into the dead of space while being safely planetside.</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. The Burn of the Saber</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Hmmm I didn’t think it was possible but a Duchess, a bounty and a Jedi all add up to the biggest fool of them all.” Maul says with a smirk as he walks up and down their execution line with the Darksaber and his Sith blade hanging on his belt like loaded threats.</p><p>His beskar is gone and his hands are tied tightly behind his back, he stopped feeling three maniacal speeches ago. Obi-Wan barely looks conscious and he knows that the Duchess won’t have the fighting prowess to get away from the Dathomirians. She used to be able to fight until cementing herself and Mandalore in pacifism, so whatever fighting skills she did have are probably beyond salvageable.</p>
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    <p>
  <strong><em>MORNING:</em> Fives</strong>
</p><p>“Fives...?” He hears Feral’s voice float from the bedroom, usually, mornings are more leisurely and he can indulge in sleeping in.</p><p>Being in bed when Feral wakes is also less jarring for the Zabrak, which is understandable.</p><p>If Feral had gone on a dangerous mission and promised to come back safely, only to have someone like Nel come and tell he died in a painful explosion but then come back a month later missing an arm and looking like he had been dragged through a mine filed. Then he to would also feel reassured if Feral were asleep next to him when he woke.</p><p>But this morning is different.</p><p>“I’m in the kitchen!” Fives shouts as he fumbles with the buttons on his shirt while taking sips of his too hot caf as he rushes to get prepared for his meeting the Chancellor.</p><p>Technically, he’s still on leave as he recovers from his time in captivity and while earlier, he thought three weeks of paid leave was a bit much added to the time he was gone. But as he struggles with the buttons on his shirt, he now sees that he has a long way to go before he can functionally operate with his mechanical hand.</p><p>It's a sweet hand too, the chrome royal blue and silver prosthetic is a work of art and he’ll have to thank Anakin again for all the work he had put into designing and crafting his new arm. Maybe he could ask the man how he was able to adjust so quickly, not including the fact that he had to with the war effort and all.</p><p>If his story lines up he lost his hand not even a year before the war and Fives cringes at the thought of holding a blaster anytime soon. He’s so caught up in thinking about how he can’t do up his buttons and how his coffee has burnt the tip of his tongue that he hasn’t noticed that Feral has crossed their apartment until he hugs him from behind, his arms barely circle waist with how his body has changed recently.</p><p>He's not sure where he stands on talking about how pregnancy has changed Feral with the way he has been physically manipulated by dark magic against his will to carry a pregnancy. While he wishes he could talk about how excited he gets seeing him round like this, he’s almost certain mentioning anything about it will be taken the wrong way.</p><p>From what he said all those months ago about how the Nightbrothers who were impregnated often thought it to be a great shame or how many of them often died during the birthing process, he sure that childrearing isn’t a pleasant ordeal. He isn’t even sure how that’s supposed to work and he’s definitely sure he wants no in-depth explanation as to how the Nightsisters do it on Dathomir.</p><p>The thought of a screaming Nightbrother pinned down to an alter table while he’s cut open immediately triggers his gag reflex and he does his best to swallow his coffee back down.</p><p>He covers Feral’s hands with his own as the Zabrak kisses his neck. He pushes the thoughts away to focus on the present.</p><p>“Good morning...You’re up early” He mumbles into Fives’ skin.</p><p>It <em>is</em> early, sunlight streams through the living room windows, golden in colour from the earliness of the morning. The planet is still stubbornly in its winter season and the sun rises much later, the time isn’t currently unsightly but the sun seems set on taking its damn time to warm up the apartment.</p><p>“Yeah, Chancellor Amidala has asked me to meet her for a private meeting this morning, apparently there’s been an unexpected development and she wants to add a few changes to her personal security.” Fives tells him.</p><p>“Hmmm hopefully it’s nothing too serious...” He says with a yawn.</p><p>“It probably isn’t, you should head back to bed, its early and I know you don’t have class until midday.” Fives says and Feral grunts noncommittedly.</p><p>“I’m already awake, might as well make the most of it. I actually wanted to ask you something before you left for work.” Feral says squeezing him tighter.</p><p>“Anything.” Fives responds, turning around to face his partner.</p><p>While he sees Feral every day, he’s always caught off guard with how breathtaking Feral is. From the details of his tattoos to his horns, the novelty of the Zabrak’s beauty hasn’t worn off from seeing him the first time in the hazy bar on Corellia to now, bathed in golden sunlight. It hits his eyes and the rays seem to ignite his irises and… oh shit he’s taking...</p><p>“…I know we haven’t talked about it a lot with everything that’s gone on recently, but I wanted your thoughts on names for the babies?” Feral asks and he’s about to open his mouth and say something but then he remembers that clones name each other for their characteristics, he has no idea how to pick a name for someone he has never met before.</p><p>“Clones usually pick names for each other by the time we’re 8 or 9 standard years, how do you name a baby when you haven’t even met them yet?” Fives asks.</p><p>“What do you mean? Did you go without a name for that long? What did people call you?” Feral asks with his eyes wide with shock.</p><p>Oh, this is awkward.</p><p>“Clones were never given names, we were given and referred to as our CT numbers, our, uh clone trooper numbers that Kaminoans gave our growth tubes. It’s how I got my name, technically my legal name is CT-27-5555. So, uh, name picking is kind of a novel concept to me.” Fives says ducking his head.</p><p>“Numbers?!” Feral says bewildered, there’s an undercurrent of righteous anger and he winces.</p><p>“Hey, it’s all in the past. Chancellor Amidala has ensured that the clones will never be referred to by the numbers ever again. How do Nightbrothers get their names? I know there’s kind of a theme with the men.” Fives asks, maybe not so gently redirecting the conversation away from his own childhood trauma that all clones have.</p><p>“You’re right, Maul, Savage and Feral. The boys are usually named after a strong feeling or state of being that later dictate their clan tattoos when they come of age. Girl names tend to be more spiritual, but I’m no longer limited by Dathomirian culture. We can choose to name our children whatever we want them to be.” Feral says with a small smile, Fives gets lost in it until he looks at the time.</p><p>Shit, he’s going to be late at this rate if he can’t get his damn buttons done up.</p><p>Feral sees how his eyes slide over to the clock and he shakes his head ruefully.</p><p>“How about we sit down after your meeting and we can go over baby names, sound good?” Feral asks as he swiftly buttons up Fives’ shirt with swift efficient fingers.</p><p>“Sounds amazing, I won’t be gone for long. The meeting shouldn’t last more than an hour.” Fives says as he kisses Feral’s temple.</p><p>“Make sure to wake Nel, her class is in an hour!” Fives shouts as he runs out of the apartment with a skip in his step.</p><p>He gets to name his babies, they’re something that are unconditionally his and he can’t wait to meet them.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong><em>NIGHT</em>: JANGO</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“Hmmm I didn’t think it was possible but a Duchess, a bounty and a Jedi all add up to the biggest fool of them all.” Maul says with a smirk as he walks up and down their execution line with the Darksaber and his Sith blade hanging on his belt like loaded threats.</p><p>His beskar is gone and his hands are tied tightly behind his back, he stopped feeling three maniacal speeches ago. Obi-Wan barely looks conscious and he knows that the Duchess won’t have the fighting prowess to get away from the Dathomirians. She used to be able to fight until cementing herself and Mandalore in pacifism, so whatever fighting skills she did have are probably beyond salvageable.</p><p>He and Obi-wan had walked into the trap that Satine had unknowingly sprung all according to Maul’s plan. A plan that probably ends with all of the heads on pikes in the thrown room.</p><p>He can see the barest glint of Obi-Wan’s lightsaber poking out from behind a woman he doesn’t recognize, there had been no recent report of a Nightsister joining the ranks of Maul and Savage. In fact, he had through the Nightsisters had been eliminated after Grievous had raided the planet, either she had survived the brutal attack, or she had not been on Dathomir at the time.</p><p>Either way, she is another powerful adversary that they now have to get past if they are going to leave Mandalore with all their limbs attached.</p><p>Oddly enough, Maul hasn’t killed them yet, he’s batting his time, drawing out their torture, or more specifically Obi-Wan’s torture. Coming for Satine made hers and Obi-Wan’s relationship pretty obvious and Maul must suspect something between him and Obi-Wan solely by the fact that he’s here as well.</p><p>The Jedi and his boyfriend go rescue the Jedi’s ex-girlfriend who also happened to scrub hundreds of years of Mandalorian culture from Mandalore, subsequently washing the planet and its people of anything unique and simultaneously excommunicate anyone who could have possibly helped them.</p><p>He almost laughs, it sounds like a holo drama.</p><p>But back to Maul. Obi-wan is half-collapsed and Satine looks like a woman with a noose around her neck. So, it looks like he’ll have to supply the witty backtalk to keep Maul entertained until he decides to kill them.</p><p>“Does your dramatic play audition have a point or is this building to something?” Jango asks with a scowl, Maul barely spares him a glance before he stops in front of Obi-wan to tilt the nearly unconscious man’s face up and he has to hold back the fear the desperately wants to show on his face.</p><p>“Ah, the bounty hunter, the flavour of the month, with so many of your copies floating around I’m surprised Obi-wan didn’t choose a more impressive version of yourself.” Maul snarls as he rubs a thumb along Obi-Wan’s bottom lip.</p><p>“And out of all people a drunken pirate who doesn’t even know what insolence means forced you to retreat.” Jango barks back, more than unnerved by the way Maul is manhandling his lover.</p><p>That get’s Maul’s attention as he spins around to backhand him across the face.</p><p>“You know I thought we could be civil here but it seems that is out of the question for a lowlife like you. But, yes there is a reason as to why I haven’t killed any of you yet. You see, the Republic has someone in their possession that I want. The deal is simple, he is returned to me and I let you go. I don’t think I’m being unfair, we’ve missed our brother very much in the time that he’s been gone.” Maul says with a smirk.</p><p>Feral.</p><p>Shit, they knew that Maul and Savage would catch up to him eventually to try and drag him back, whatever the New Republic does, they can’t hand him over in his condition.</p><p>“They’ll never hand over a protected citizen to a crime lord, you really couldn’t have thought it would be that easy right?” Jango asks incredulously</p><p>“Well, my dear exiled Mandalorian…It all depends on how much the new Chancellor values your lives.” Mauls says as he draws the Darksaber out to hold it at the hollow of Jango’s throat.</p><p>He swallows heavily.</p><p>I guess they <em>will</em> see. For the first time in a while, he starts to feel afraid.</p><p>“In the meantime, I will have the revenge that is owed to me, starting with you…Mandalorian.” Maul says with a cruel smile.</p><p>The burn of the Darksaber on his skin is like nothing else he has ever felt before.</p><p>TBD</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I have finally decided to end this first installment at chapter 19, I can't really think of a better way to end this so this is the end for now! I'll probably be back with the second installment as soon as I can!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tell me what you think! I have a vague idea where I want to go with this so I hope you like my rare pair roller coaster! &gt;:)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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